MCM Media has appointed Brett ‘Nozz’ Nossiter to the role of Content Acquisitions and Partnership Director. Reporting to Group Content Director, Sam Thompson, Brett will be responsible for working with record labels, talent managers and entertainment publicists to secure content for MCM Media’s leading brands – including Take 40 Australia, The Hot Hits, VEVO, My Generation, Party People and ARIA Charts.

“As we continue to deliver content that our audience and customers love, Nozz is the perfect fit.” says Sam Thompson. “His experience covers radio, digital, syndication and artist relations and he knows how to find the right balance between talent, a brand and the fans.”

Brett comes to MCM Media from DMG, where he created and managed five DAB+ radio stations, Koffee, Novanation and Radio Free; launched the group’s Syndication business in 2011; and managed artist relations for streaming service, Rdio. Previously, Brett was the Music Director and later Program Director for MusicMax and Channel [V], where he built strong content partnerships with headline artists, festivals and music platforms.

“This will be a big year for MCM Media and I am extremely excited to be joining their talented team” says Brett. “I can’t wait to get stuck into creating fresh, innovative music content for the artists and our partners. I also look forward to taking over from Simon Joyce as the best looking man in the company.”

Brett takes over the role from Luke Wallis who is leaving March 28. “We acknowledge and respect Luke’s need to remain in Melbourne as the best course for his family at this time” says Sam. “Luke has played a significant role across many aspects of the business and delivered some incredible content during his 10 years with MCM Media. We wish him all the best.”

Brett will join the Sydney office from April 22

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Jonathan Hopkins, Managing Director of strategic media planning and buying agency, Razor, will join MCM Media next month in the newly created role of Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer.

Reporting directly to CEO Simon Joyce, Jonathan will be responsible for the positioning and commercial maximisation of MCM Media. He will lead the sales and content teams in developing more customer-orientated solutions.

Simon Joyce said the increasing scale of MCM Media’s Network Radio, Digital and Content Marketing offerings, along with rapidly changing industry practices demanded the creation of this role. “Jonathan’s brief is to ensure that our content, sales and marketing are completely aligned to deliver the best possible results for audiences and advertisers alike. We had an enormous amount of interest in this role from some of the country’s leading marketers and we are delighted to have an executive of his strategic quality joining our team.”

As MD of Razor, Jonathan has been responsible for annual billings of more than $50M across Razor’s operations in Australia and affiliates in NZ. He is passionate about working with brands on a mission to disrupt, innovate and challenge category norms. In the past 15 years Jonathan has consulted leading brands such as Coca-Cola, Nike, Unilever, Microsoft and General Motors across Europe and in Australia. Razor’s She Runs campaign for Nike was last week awarded media campaign of the year and Best Engagement strategy at the Festival of Media Asia.

“After 15 years of advising clients how to do their marketing, I have decided it is time to step up and do some myself!  says Jonathan. “The role is amazing and quite unique in the Australian marketplace. It’s a rare opportunity and I am very excited to be joining a business as innovative, dynamic and forward thinking as MCM Media. Their music platforms have phenomenally passionate followings which are very attractive to advertisers.”

Based in the Sydney office, Jonathan will begin with MCM Media on April 15

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Electro-pop charmers, Strange Talk are set to become the hot new name on music lovers’ lips – chosen as the first Australian act to feature in VEVO’s high profile, emerging artists program, VEVO LIFT.

Over eight weeks, VEVO’s global audience  of  239 million Unique Viewers * will get to know Strange Talk through video premieres, interviews, behind-the scenes footage and intimate live shows – all exclusive to the VEVO platform.   A film crew is following the band as they hit the promotional trail to launch their highly anticipated, debut album Cast Away, with the first VEVO LIFT video live today.

The Melbourne-based band joins the likes of Rita Ora, Labrinth, Tinie Tempah – all of whom got a massive kick start to their careers though the VEVO LIFT series – Labrinth has received over 68.4 million video views since featuring in February 2012, , Rita Ora -  71 million views and Tinie Tempah over 63.5 million views.

“This is MCM Media’s first VEVO LIFT campaign and we’re thrilled to showcase Strange Talk on the number one music platform on the web.” says MCM Media Group Content Director, Sam Thompson.

Strange Talk – front man Steve Docker, producer/DJ/bassist Gerard Sidhu, Travis Constable (drums) and Gillan Gregory (guitar) – have already made their mark, both in Australia and beyond. The band joined the line-ups of festivals -  Parklife, Stereosonic, Future Music, Soundscape and Falls; opened for the Rapture, Neon Indian, and Marina and The Diamonds; hit the #1 spot on Billboard’s Uncharted chart, and wowed New York City at 2011 and 2012’s CMJ Music Marathon.
Packed full of shimmering synths and pulsing pop beats, their new album, Cast Away features 11 tracks of indie-meets-electro gems  including the breakout single Climbing Walls, rave drenched anthems, big tom dance floor bangers and minimalist electro ballads.

“We so excited to be a part of VEVO LIFT and can’t wait for our fans and the public to be a part of it too” says front man Steve Docker. “It’s such a great concept and one that gives the perfect insight in to our band, Strange Talk, and our lives. Enjoy!”

VEVO is the world’s leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform, streaming over 4 billion videos globally each month**.  It’s available through VEVO.com, VEVO@YouTube, the mobile web, Mobile and Tablet Apps (iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry Playbook), Connected Television (Xbox, Roku, Boxee) and user embeddable video players in Australia, the US, Brazil, Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and the UK.   VEVO launched in Australia in partnership with MCM Media in April, 2012 and is the second biggest video streaming site in Australia, behind Google. ***

Watch Strange Talk on VEVO here.

 
* Total number of Global UV’s December 2012 VEVO and ConScore Metrics.
** VEVO and ComScore Metrics
*** Nielsen Videon Census Dec 201 close

Radio and TV presenter Maude Garrett will relocate to Los Angeles to be the new host of leading pop culture brand, The Hot Hits. The self-confessed pop-culture brainiac and video game fanatic will present the weekly radio show from studios in Hollywood and contribute to the online site and mobile show; her first program will premiere on Sunday 3 February across 62 radio stations in Australia including Southern Cross Austereo’s Today Network.

“Maude is The Hot Hits personified” says MCM Media’s Group Content Director, Sam Thompson. “Her outgoing personality, love of all things pop culture and her expert gaming skills make her the perfect fit for The Hot Hits brand.  With direct access to the biggest stars and stories in the entertainment world, The Hot Hits team is focused on breaking the latest news and exclusive stories across radio, online and mobile, and Maude will be in her element delivering this with her unique Australian take.”

Produced by MCM Media in partnership with Southern Cross Austereo, The Hot Hits is the only Australian radio show to have a permanent presence in the entertainment capital of the world. It focuses on global pop culture – celebrating music, movies, TV and whatever this month’s top trends are, from an Australian perspective. It encompasses a weekly radio show broadcast nationally, online site and mobile app.

“Coming direct from the heart of the showbiz and celebrity world, The Hot Hits keeps The Today Network connected to the world’s biggest stars, and ready to break the next worldwide hit” says Dave Cameron, FOX FM Content Director/Head of Today Network.

A TV and radio presenter and writer, Maude previously hosted national nights and Party People on Southern Cross Austereo, as well as appearing regularly on shows including Weekend Sunrise, Talkin ‘Bout Your Generation, The Morning Show and Can of Worms.  She has been a popular writer and contributor for numerous magazines including Dolly and Girlfriend and last year launched her gaming website, Geekbomb.

“It’s my dream job!” Maude says. “‘I’m able to completely indulge in my love of pop-culture, from music to movies & gossip! Moving to LA to attend premieres, interview the biggest celebrities and talk about my obsession with video games…. somebody pinch me!”

The Hot Hits radio show presented by Optus broadcasts weekly from studios in Hollywood, counting down the top 35 songs in LA, interviewing the stars and look at the week that was in the entertainment world.  The online site features the latest music, entertainment news and photos, a weekly video show and weekly blogs from the LA team detailing what goes on behind-the-scenes at red carpets and events.

The Hot Hits
Sundays, 2 – 6pm on Southern Cross Austereo and regional stations
Click here for the complete list of radio stations

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MCM Media is undergoing a staff restructure, following the decision of National Sales Director Matt Tindale to leave the company.

Recruitment is underway for a new Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer to sit directly under the CEO. This role will be responsible for ensuring the content, sales and marketing teams are completely aligned to deliver the best possible results for audiences and clients, and will also be responsible for managing the increasingly prominent role of data across the three divisions.

The National Sales Director position will not be replaced when Matt leaves at the end of this month. In Sydney, the role will be split; with Luke Cook taking on the Sales Director role and Nathan Young appointed General Manager, Sales and Operations. Melbourne is managed by Sales Director Jeanna Manifold.

MCM Media’s CEO Simon Joyce commented on the changes “Over the past three years, Matt’s dedication and commitment to MCM Media has been exemplary and he’s been instrumental in helping MCM Media achieve success over that time. Looking ahead the promotions of both Luke Cook to the role of Sydney Sales Director and Nathan Young to the role of GM Sales and Operations are thoroughly deserved. They are both outstanding media executives with a real passion for marketing and a true understanding of integrated sales.”

Also driving the restructure has been the industry’s requirement for data and greater insights into audiences says Simon. “Online video is set to dominate the online market in 2013 and as the biggest provider of premium online video in Australia, we want to ensure we are better utilising our understanding of our audiences across every aspect of the business so audiences and brands can benefit.”

MCM Media now reaches an audience of more than 10 million UB’s each month through its music websites including Take 40, The Hot Hits and VEVO as well as 4 million listeners a week through its syndicated radio programs across 220 stations.  MCM Media will conduct a major research project into its consumer brands in the first quarter of 2013 to assist advertisers tapping into the high quality, highly engaged audience that music delivers.

The new structure will commence in January 2013 close

VEVO, the world’s number one music video platform, has committed to launch on the open-source, Android-based gaming platform OUYA, which will be unveiled in March 2013.

OUYA is causing a huge stir in the tech and gaming worlds right now as a result of its fundraising efforts on Kickstarter, which gives inventors and visionaries a fundraising platform to fulfill their dreams. OUYA has already raised over $6 million on Kickstarter with still a week to go in their fundraising campaign.

Michael Cerda, SVP of Product and Technology, VEVO says “We’re excited to be an early adopter of OUYA, which shares VEVO’s vision of being open and accessible for users looking for high quality entertainment experiences.”

“At VEVO, our mission is to bring high quality music experiences to users wherever and whenever. We have always strived to embrace new platforms that developers, creative communities and consumers are excited about. OUYA is just that—it’s one of the most exciting new entertainment platforms we’ve seen and we think it’s a natural fit for VEVO’s premium music videos and original music programming.

This is why I am thrilled to tell you today that VEVO is committed to launch with OUYA when it comes to market in March 2013. Through this partnership, we will bring our rich catalogue of over 50,000 high definition music videos and new, original programming from more than 11,000 artists to OUYA’s groundbreaking new gaming console. We support and share OUYA’s vision that the future lies in being open and accessible for users looking for high quality entertainment experiences.

Our partnership with OUYA is grounded in our tireless effort to bring VEVO to every connected living room and home and we will continue to deliver our premium music video programming to the rest of our platform consisting of VEVO.com, mobile & tablet apps (including Android, iOS, Windows Phone), connected TVs like Xbox and partner sites such as Facebook and YouTube.”

VEVO the world’s leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform, launched in Australia on April 16 in a joint partnership between VEVO and MCM Media. Its Australian audience already exceeds the catchup television audience of Yahoo Plus 7, Nine MSN video and Ten Video websites combined. (Nielsen June 2012). close

Few rock and rock bands have endured like the Rolling Stones, so this Saturday July 14, My Generation celebrates 50 Years of the ‘Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World’

Hosts Jonesy and Amanda will be playing their greatest hits and hear from Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Ronnie Wood and many others including Steven Tyler, Rod Stewart and Elton John. 

My Generation will delve into the hot feud between Keith Richards and Mick Jagger; find out which Stone could be a masterchef when it comes to sausages; and reveal the Stones at their most shocking – dishing out a Jonesy Award for Their Most Controversial Moment.

The soundtrack to a generation, My Generation pays tribute to the music, people and events of the 70’s and 80’s. Produced by MCM Media, the show is broadcast to 96 radio stations nationwide, including the Australian Radio Network’s (ARN) Classic Hits metropolitan stations; and reaches over 437,000 listeners each week.  Launched in 1999, the show won the Australian Commercial Radio Award for Best Syndicated Australian Program in 2011.
MY GENERATION
Saturday 12 July
Sydney – 10 -12noon on 101.7 WSFM
Melbourne – 4-6pm on Gold 104.3
Check here for full list of stations and broadcast times close

As MCM Media’s offering continues to grow within the Australian marketplace, it has strengthened its Melbourne sales team appointing Paul Parker and Michila McLeod and promoting Scott Bennett to Sales Manager.

Paul has been contracted to work on Special Projects.  No stranger to the Melbourne market, he spent seven years as the National Director of Sales at Australian Radio Network and the Nine Network. His first task is working with National Sales Director Matt Tindale to recruit a new Sales Director to the Melbourne team and he will then focus on evolving MCM’s branded content solutions.

“MCM Media has shown itself to be a leader in the branded content space in Australia and I look forward to developing new opportunities across their full suite of brands including Take 40, VEVO, Live at the Chapel and The Hoyts Insider” says Paul.

New Business Manager Michila Macleod comes to MCM Media with over 10 years’ experience in media sales including seven with ACP Magazines in Melbourne.  Michila recently returned from the UK where she was working across the BBC Worldwide magazine titles over the last 12 months.

Scott has been with the Company for four years and has been instrumental in growing MCM Media’s presence in Melbourne. He will oversee the Business Managers while generating new business relationships.

“These appointments recognise the increasing scale of MCM Media’s multi-media offering. We now lead the market in premium online video and our focus on truly integrated advertising solutions that cover radio, digital and television continues to increase” says National Sales Director Matt Tindale.

MCM Media is Australia’s leading provider of premium online video. Throughout May, MCM Media saw more than 7.3 million Unique Viewers across the Digital Entertainment Network of sites which now includes the world’s biggest online music video platform, VEVO. close

Debit MasterCard Priceless Music has renewed its support as exclusive sponsor of Australia’s most memorable live performance series, The Take 40 Live Lounge. Having outgrown the original studio format of previous years, 2012 sees the event move into a new performance space so more people can enjoy an unique experience with one of their favourite artists. The four-part series kicks off in June with Simple Plan performing at The Standard in Sydney.

The fully integrated campaign has been created by MCM Media to help drive and reward Debit MasterCard usage amongst the Gen Y audience. The events will be promoted across the MCM Media consumer brands (Take 40 Australia, The Hot Hits Live from LA, Party People), and tickets can only be purchased via Debit MasterCard. The shows will then be filmed and packaged up for television, online, mobile, radio and social.

Exclusive content will be featured on the Debit MasterCard Priceless Music Facebook page, as well as a dedicated branded page within the Take 40 Australia site featuring full programs, track by track streams, behind the scene interviews and photo galleries.
In addition, the branded content will be available through the Digital Entertainment Network (DEN) – MCM Media’s online video platform offering high quality music and entertainment content on an advertiser funded basis, which is syndicated across 55 of Australia’s leading entertainment sites including news.com.au, ninemsn and Yahoo!7.

“We are very excited to be working with MCM Media again in 2012, continuing with our successful sponsorship of the Take 40 Live Lounge” says Michelle Pilot, VP Brand Marketing, MasterCard Australia. “Priceless Music is now in its fourth year and allows Debit MasterCard to connect with the youth audience through one of their main passions – music. The Take 40 Live Lounge is a key component of the 2012 campaign, giving only Debit MasterCard cardholders the opportunity to experience some of the best local and international acts up close and personal.”

MCM Media’s Strategy Director, Greg Tremain, says the partnership has been successful because it aligns two complimentary brands. “The Take 40 Live Lounge is the embodiment of what Debit MasterCard Priceless Music is all about. MCM Media’s ability to then extend the experience across radio, digital, free to air TV and social platforms ensures that MasterCard can effectively target their key market in the spaces most relevant to them.”

The Take 40 Live Lounge launched six years ago and has presented some of Australia’s favourite international and local performers including; LMFAO, Jessie J, Panic! At the Disco, Little Red, Washington, Maroon 5, Jason Derulo, Kelly Clarkson and Good Charlotte close

“VEVO has become the best example of how advertising plays into the future of the music business.”    …Billboard December 20, 2011

Mentos, Sony Music, Paramount Pictures and Vodafone are the first advertisers to sign up for VEVO, the world’s leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform which launched in Australia on April 16 in a joint partnership between VEVO and MCM Media.

At a function in Melbourne last night, MCM Media’s National Sales Director, Matt Tindale, announced the first ad partners for VEVO, which is the number one music platform on the web, currently generating over 40 million video streams in Australia each month.  Mentos is aligning itself with key artist premieres, while Sony Music, Vodafone and Paramount Pictures are tapping into music genres to effectively target their consumers.

VEVO’s latest global analytics show how successful the platform is in delivering for advertisers says MCM Media’s CEO, Simon Joyce.  “90% of all commercials running on VEVO are viewed to completion  which is 33% higher than the industry average . In addition, VEVO viewers watch an average of 60+ minutes of video programming each month  – it’s a premium environment for an engaged audience – and offers advertisers unrivalled scale and effective targeting.”

In the first week since launch (17-23 April), just under 2.2 million unique viewers in Australia watched VEVO on YouTube or the VEVO.com site, there were 66,442 active users on mobile (46,560 downloads of the VEVO mobile app) and 14,056 Facebook app installs.  Top artists viewed included Nicki Minaj, Carly Rae Jepsen, One Direction, Reece Mastin and Delta Goodrem.

VEVO’s latest push into the creation of original content was revealed by VEVO CEO Rio Caraeff, at the inaugural Digital New Fronts in New York. VEVO was one of five digital platforms invited to showcase new content – alongside YouTube, Hulu, AOL and Yahoo.  Six new series will be going into production in the US and screening globally including:
•    Busk or Bust  – contestants literally sing for their supper in a reality competition show (in partnership with Shine America)
•    Cover Stories  – comic, fictional stories behind iconic albums
•    Hear Me Out  – a dating show where participants’ criteria is based on musical taste
•    Sound + City -  a look various cities’ music scenes and what influences them (first six episodes: Nashville, Miami, Brooklyn, San Francisco, Portland (Oregon), Atlanta);
•    You Play Like a Girl – a look at young girls who are pursuing music as a career, hosted by ex-Hole/Motley Crue drummer Sam Maloney; (co-produced with Mike Welch)
•    Strange Island – Flight of the Conchords meets Glee, living somewhere between Gilligan’s Island and Fantasy Island in a new scripted musical comedy series with four aspiring stars looking for a shortcut to fame. Co-producer is Yo Gabba Gabba creator, Scott Schultz. close

MCM Media has appointed Lachlan Brahe as Commercial Director – Digital, responsible for continuing the Company’s rapid growth as a provider of premium online video.  With the inclusion of VEVO to MCM Media suite of sites including take40.com, thehothits.com and ariacharts.com.au, MCM Media becomes one of the largest providers of premium online video in the Australian market place.

Lachlan has over 14 years’ experience in the digital marketing industry and comes to MCM Media from Carat, where he was Head of Digital Strategy, responsible for raising the level of digital knowledge across the organisation and working with clients to incorporate greater digital thinking across their business, marketing and media needs.

Matt Tindale, National Sales Director for MCM Media, says Lachlan’s appointment is in response to the increasing value placed on comprehensive digital solutions by the market and MCM Media’s significant growth as a provider of premium online video content. “Lachlan’s extensive digital experience across strategy, planning and buying, media sales, social media and website development will be invaluable to our clients and to our team at a time when our content offering has never been more robust.”

Prior to his role at Carat, Lachlan was the Managing Director of emitch Sydney.  He also launched emitch Brisbane which became the largest digital media agency in the Queensland market.

Lachlan says the new role allows him to combine his two greatest interests. “The opportunity to join MCM Media is a dream job, bringing together my passion and experience for digital and music. The addition of VEVO to MCM Media, takes the business to a whole new level and I’m thrilled to be a part of the next steps for such a dynamic team.”

Lachlan will begin with MCM Media on June 4. close

VEVO, the world’s leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform, has launched in Australia and New Zealand in an exclusive partnership between MCM Media and VEVO.

Using the highest quality premium video experience available, VEVO connects fans with the music they love – anytime, anywhere.  Ranked by comScore as the Number One Music platform on the web in the US and UK, VEVO currently generates over 3.3 billion video streams worldwide each month.

Australians can connect with VEVO online at VEVO.com and through free mobile apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows Phone 7. VEVO on Xbox will be available by the end of the month. The VEVO site offers world class social media integration and inbuilt personalisation with features including the creation of music video playlists based on a user’s current iTunes or Facebook music preferences. In addition to its own website, VEVO’s music videos are syndicated across Facebook and on YouTube, where VEVO provides the majority of premium music videos.

Nic Jones, VEVO’s International Senior VP, says MCM Media was the obvious choice to partner with for the Australian launch. “The synergies were evident.  MCM Media has spent three years building the premium online video market within Australia, working with the record labels and advertisers -  and we wanted their expertise to ensure the VEVO Australia experience is the best it can be.”

Advertisers will be able to access VEVO as part of MCM Media’s Digital Entertainment Network (DEN) – an online video platform offering high quality music and entertainment content on an advertiser funded basis. Syndicated across 55 of Australia’s leading entertainment sites including ninemsn and Yahoo!7, the DEN offers advertisers a unique and safe environment to reach engaged audiences passionate about music.  First launched in July 2009, the DEN has experienced rapid growth with more than 68 million video and audio streams generated in 2011. Those numbers are set to explode – with VEVO generating more than 40 million streams per month within its YouTube syndication platform alone.

MCM Media’s CEO, Simon Joyce says VEVO has been a true game changer for the online video industry. “VEVO’s debut marks the moment we turn music up in Australia – giving audiences a superior viewing experience whilst maximising brands’ access to one of the most powerful premium video advertising platforms in the world. The addition of VEVO to our existing websites Take40.com and thehothits.com, not only cements MCM Media’s position as the market leader in the digital music space but also ensures that MCM Media will be a leading player in the exploding online video advertising sector.”

VEVO features an extensive catalogue of premium music content thanks to deals with leading music companies as Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and EMI Music among many others.

It has been acclaimed as “the best example of how advertising plays into the future of the music business” (Billboard, December 20, 2011) and currently works with over 650 advertisers.

In addition to Australia and New Zealand, VEVO is available in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

QUOTES ABOUT VEVO

“Exactly how important was music video as an asset, say, three years ago? VEVO made it matter again. That’s no small feat and credit goes to one of the smartest business models in tech and entertainment. Now it has one of the smartest platforms too… from its social media posture to its discovery engine to its user experience, it is an important step forward for entertainment delivery. And there are lessons in it for companies, even juggernauts like Spotify and VEVO’s most important partner, YouTube.” – Forbes March 9, 2012

“It’s the personalization elements of VEVO that make it brilliant. Music video, as opposed to audio, is very lean forward and so help discovering new things that are relevant to watch is crucial… This has obvious benefits for the user as it’s a fun, dynamic way to consume music content but it is also great for artists.” – New Media Age March 9, 2012

“Online video platform VEVO enjoyed a double whammy of success in February – securing over three million views across its BRIT Awards coverage and first ever UK LIFT promotion.” – Music Week March 5, 2012

“Central to the company’s success has been its embrace of channels beyond its own…VEVO serves content not just on its own site, but on third-party platforms including Facebook, YouTube and XBox.” – Mashable January 31, 2012

“In two years, VEVO has turned music videos from a promotional expense that an embattled industry was finding harder to justify, into a source of digital income.” – Financial Times, December 21 2011 close

This Tuesday 17 April, Dare Iced Coffee will take over an entire ad break on Channel 9, with entertaining short form content featuring Actor/Comedian Ryan Shelton.

Targeted at a hard to reach 20-30 year old audience, the idea centres on providing engaging content with an irreverent and intelligent switched on solution to an everyday problem. Within this context, Ryan attempts to bring to life the creative idea of ‘A Dare Iced Coffee Fix’ll Fix It’ in an entertaining way.

“Dare Iced Coffee gave me two Options. Option 1, be a part of the campaign to create three minutes of content that will take over an entire commercial break… or Option 2, accept a lifetime supply of Dare Iced Coffee. I quickly chose Option 2 and they told me that one was a joke,”   says Ryan.

Over a thirteen week campaign, television, radio and online aims to  inspire fans to upload their own everyday dilemmas on the Dare Facebook page for their chance to win $30k and have their problem fixed Dare-style on National TV.

Jessica Severin, Brand Manager for Dare Iced Coffee, says the campaign is a great example of using a unique platform to engage and entertain our target audience while delivering our brand message.  We are really excited about bringing Dare’s real coffee kick message to our consumers in a big and bold way.”

“This campaign is a great example of real collaboration between the Dare Brand team at Lion, Starcom and MCM Media; and Ryan was the perfect creative to bring to life the concept,” says MCM Group Content Director Sam Thompson.

The campaign premieres on Channel 9 on Tuesday 17 April at 9pm. Watch it here

Client – Jessica Severin, Brand Manager Dare Iced Coffee

Production and Creative – MCM Media and Ryan Shelton

Media – Starcom MediaVest Group

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Windows Azure platform chosen to drive Movideo’s business growth across Asia.

REDMOND, Wash., and HONG KONG — March 23, 2012 — Microsoft Corp. and Movideo Pty Ltd. today announced a four-year strategic agreement in which Movideo will migrate its integrated online video platform to Windows Azure to drive business growth across Asia Pacific (APAC) and beyond.

Movideo is a media-centric and integrated online video platform, delivering positive business outcomes via an end-to-end video solution, encoding, storing, managing, syndicating and delivering audiovisual content to multiple end-user devices, and featuring powerful business intelligence tools for detailed analysis. Movideo is owned by the ASX-listed MCM Entertainment Group Ltd. (MEG).

“The global alliance with Microsoft is first a technical alliance whereby Windows Azure becomes the infrastructure platform for our cloud software as a service product, Movideo,” said Tony McGinn, Movideo CEO and MEG founder. “The strong road map for Windows Azure resources the scalable infrastructure that underpins the Movideo offering, allowing us to get on with our role of optimizing the management and delivery of our customers’ great content. Second, the alliance is about sales and marketing support and coordination to drive growth for Movideo and Windows Azure. We can leverage tremendous advantages working beside such an experienced and far-reaching software partner.”

Movideo is planning to take full advantage of the booming global online video market, which is forecast by AccuStream Research’s January 2012 Video Value Chain report to grow from $4.4 billion (U.S.) in 2011 to more than $10 billion (U.S.) by the end of 2014. AccuStream forecasts that video platforms and content delivery will account for approximately 50 percent of this value chain.

Movideo is focused on becoming a dominant force in the digital media environment, specifically with media customers across APAC. “We are excited about the growth prospects for Movideo in APAC, particularly since we are based in and very committed to the region,” McGinn said. “However, we are looking at the broader worldwide opportunities that now exist thanks to this new collaboration with Microsoft.”

Movideo is undertaking one of the largest Java transitions to Windows Azure. “We come from an open source background and typically used a Java stack inside our environments. It is a big transition moving onto the Microsoft stack, but working closely with the Microsoft China Cloud Innovation Center, Microsoft Hong Kong office and the Microsoft Redmond product engineering teams, we are making it a smooth transition,” said Cameron Moore, chief technology officer, Movideo. “The migration is expected to be completed in May. By migrating to Windows Azure, we can now take advantage of the added services that Windows Azure provides beyond just being infrastructure and accelerating our development road map of product features for our media customers with assurances that the scalability, redundancy and robustness of the back-end infrastructure are taken care of.”

Kathy Lee, Azure Platform Strategy advisor, Microsoft Hong Kong, said, “Movideo has a proven track record in delivering great content to customers, and the strategic relationship announced today provides incredible scale, vast expertise and a proven ability to execute. By leveraging the power of Windows Azure, Movideo is creating a scalable solution that can be easily customized to grow with the needs of its customers.”

The global alliance between Movideo and Microsoft incorporates a long-term pricing agreement, technical support, and sales and marketing backing.

Background

Movideo launched to market in 2010 and now services 30 customers, including Network Ten in Australia, MNC Group Indonesia, South China Morning Post Hong Kong, Reader’s Digest Singapore and Astro Group Malaysia, and is focused on the rapidly emerging markets in APAC.

More information about how Movideo is betting on Windows Azure and its growth strategy across APAC can be found in the Q&A with McGinn and Moore. Those interested in further information should visit these websites:

• Microsoft News Center — Cloud Virtual Press Room
• STB News Bytes Blog
• Interoperability@microsoft blog
• Movideo video

About Movideo Pty Ltd.

Movideo is the largest Software as a Service (SaaS) Online Video Platform business based in the APAC region. Movideo was developed within the publicly listed Australian media business, MCM Entertainment Group from 2006. Following its success within the domestic media market for MCM, Movideo was established as a SaaS and consulting business within the group in 2008. It now has offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Singapore and Shanghai. www.movideo.com

About MCM Entertainment Group Ltd.

MCM Entertainment Group (ASX: MEG) comprises three stand-alone businesses; MCM Media Pty Ltd. one of Australia’s leading media production companies offering premium content creation delivered across radio, digital, television and events; Igloo digital Pty Ltd. — a full service digital agency providing outstanding web design and; Movideo Pty Ltd. — a world-class digital media software solutions provider. Combining the strengths of MCM Media, Movideo and Igloo, MCM Entertainment Group can draw upon each individual company’s expertise in content, technology and design to develop powerful solutions for clients across multiple media platforms. www.mcmentertainment.com

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. close

Leading digital agency, Igloo, is refining its development team in a move that will enhance its technical offerings to clients by strengthening its first-class software development and infrastructure capabilities.

The changes come after Igloo, a division of MCM Entertainment Group (MEG), recorded significant growth over the past year, and in response to the increasing development of large, complex web-based software solutions for its clients.

As a result of this growth, a Group Software Development Manager has been appointed, while the role of Technical Director has been made redundant.

“As the Company moves to the next stage, and the digital environment matures, we need to ensure that our technical structure continues to be optimised to provide our clients with world-class digital solutions and expertise” said Igloo General Manager, Jay Claringbold.

Moving forward Lee Kemp will take on the role of Group Software Development Manager. Currently the Development Manager for MEG’s online video platform solution, Movideo, Lee’s new role will see him manage the Igloo and Movideo Development Teams; ensuring both companies can benefit from shared technical knowledge and infrastructure. Additional development roles will also be created within Igloo and Movideo to manage the growth. This division of technology will continue to be led by MEG Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Cameron Moore.

Cameron Moore said “I am delighted to promote Lee to this new and well deserved role. Lee has enormous pedigree in delivering large scale technical solutions. MEG has shown significant technical growth over the last 12 months and Lee will ensure the Group will continue to produce world-class technical solutions in this ever growing area.”

Igloo is working with brands from the automotive, media, entertainment, government and leisure, sectors including Mazda Australia, Cricket Australia, Crown, Hardie Grant, Vic Health, the Cancer Council and Quit as well as MCM Media’s consumer brands – Take40.com and The Hot Hits.com. close

MCM Media and the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) are pleased to announce a new partnership deal that will see Australia’s most popular music countdown show, Take 40 Australia relaunch this Saturday March 10, counting down the ARIA singles chart across its radio, website and mobile platforms.

In addition, MCM Media will produce the ARIA chart website, which will be redesigned and relaunched later this year accompanied by a new mobile app; and manage sales opportunities for ARIA’s Charts properties.    The new site and app will feature a video player hosting an extensive catalogue of premium music video.

MCM Entertainment Group CEO, Simon Joyce, says aligning with ARIA was a logical step that brings the two leading music brands into sync. “It’s just like Gotye and Kimbra – both fantastic artists in their own right – but combine them and you get a song that goes to number one worldwide.  The partnership between MCM Media and ARIA will give audiences the simplicity of one highly credible chart and advertisers will benefit from new opportunities to integrate themselves within premium music content environments.”

Dan Rosen, CEO of ARIA says the deal allows ARIA to capitalise on MCM’s market knowledge and significant investment in the digital space. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with MCM, one of Australia’s most progressive new media and entertainment companies, through a series of exciting new radio and digital initiatives focused on the ARIA Charts. We are also extremely excited about the launch of our new Charts website and mobile app in coming months, as we work with MCM’s expert team to provide unprecedented interaction and engagement with the ARIA Charts for music fans across the country.”

Hosted by Jackie O, Take 40 Australia counts down the 40 most popular songs in the country and reaches a million listeners weekly (Nielsen Radio Ratings). The show is broadcast on Australia’s number one FM radio network, Southern Cross Austereo’s Today Network, and a broad number of regional stations across the country.  The take40.com site is the number one audited music site in Australia (Nielsen Market Intelligence) and averages 575,000 unique browsers to the site each month.

The iconic and authoritative guide to the highest-selling music in Australia, the ARIA charts have long been a barometer of success for the industry, a measure of achievement for artists and a source of interest and debate for fans. The charts are compiled each week from recorded music sales data from the majority of Australia’s leading physical and digital music retailers.

The new ARIA chart website and mobile app will be designed by Igloo digital utilizing the Movideo online video platform – both part of the MCM Entertainment Group.

Take 40 Australia broadcasts Saturdays at 3pm in most states and territories. Individual station broadcast times can be found here.

For MCM Media details contact:

Liz Green

Marketing and PR Director

MCM Entertainment Group

PH: 03 9635 6630 | M: 0409 488 998

E: lgreen@mcmentertainment.com

For ARIA details contact:

Luke Woods

Communications Manager

Australian Recording Industry Association

PH: 02 8569 1144 | M: 0402 684 803

E: lwoods@aria.com.au close

Visit California partners with MCM Media and Hoyts to promote Access All Areas to cinema goers

Visit California has signed on as the exclusive sponsor of The Hoyts Insider – a unique, Australian first in-cinema branded entertainment show –  as part of a campaign designed to give Australians the inside scoop on iconic Californian events.

The Hoyts Insider features the latest release movie news, celebrity interviews, and behind-the-scenes snapshots giving Hoyts cinemagoers a unique insight into the entertainment capital of the world. Filmed in California by MCM Media, the show is hosted by Andrew Günsberg.

The sponsorship – a collaboration between MCM Media, Hoyts, media agency M2M and PR  and marketing agency Gate 7 – will see Visit California’s Access All Areas campaign integrated into the pre-show entertainment for cinema-goers in Hoyts digital cinemas nationally.

“California offers an exciting range of opportunities to participate in high profile film, music and sporting events, such as The Oscars and NBA games,” said Caroline Beteta, Visit California President & CEO. “The Hoyts Insider is the perfect vehicle to highlight these uniquely Californian experiences in a highly engaging cinema environment.”

Visit California’s alignment with Hoyts will extend to promotions, with every ticket holder going into the draw to win a trip to California.

“The Hoyts Insider is a first in cinema marketing giving both the sponsoring partner and movie distributors a great opportunity to reach consumers outside traditional formats” says Simon Joyce, MCM Entertainment Group CEO.

The digital screen rollout continues to increase each month as part of Hoyts converting from analogue to digital technology, the deployment enabling The Hoyts Insider to reach a huge national audience.

Visit California’s sponsorship of The Hoyts Insider kicks off today. View it here

For details please contact:

Liz Green – Marketing and PR Director, MCM Entertainment Group

PH: 03 9635 6630 M: 0409 488 998 E: lgreen@mcmentertainment.com

Note to Editors:

About Visit CaliforniaRepresented in Australia and New Zealand by Gate 7 Pty Ltd, Visit California (formerly known as the California Travel & Tourism Commission) is a non-profit organisation with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs – in partnership with the state’s travel industry – that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. According to Visit California, travel and tourism expenditures total $95.1 billion annually in California (18 per cent of which is international), support jobs for 873,000 Californians and generate $6.1 billion in state and local tax revenues. For more information about Visit California and for a free California Visitor’s Guide, go to www.VisitCalifornia.com.au close

MCM Entertainment Group has appointed Liz Green to the newly created role of Marketing & PR Director, to support and grow all three of its businesses; MCM Media, Igloo and Movideo.

Liz reports to MCM Entertainment Group’s CEO Simon Joyce and in the short term will be focused primarily on MCM Media and its stable of entertainment brands.

“Liz brings with her extensive experience in Marketing and PR within the media industry, with a focus on strategic planning. Her expertise will be vital to the Group as we continue to strengthen our unique offering across content, technology and design.

I am thrilled to have Liz on board to lead our Marketing efforts in 2012.” said Joyce.

Liz comes to MCM Media from ABC TV where she established the digital communications marketing team, spearheading the marketing division”s move into digital and social media. Prior to this she was the Manager of Publicity in Victoria for ABC TV and worked on key projects including the launch of ABC iview, ABC3, and the rebrand of ABC1 and ABC2.

A former journalist, she has an in-depth understanding of communications from her years working in the media, entertainment and arts industries in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.

Liz is based in Melbourne and leads a Marketing team of two. close

To welcome in a new summer of Cricket and in time for the Boxing Day Test, Cricket Australia has this week launched its new website, cricket.com.au, designed and built by Igloo Digital.

The site features live scores, video highlights, blogs, the latest cricket news and team and player profiles. There has also been a real focus on delivering more video content and better integration with social media to make the site a one-stop-shop for cricket fans.

The new Cricket Australia website aggregates a huge variety of data sources from International, Domestic, Women’s Cricket and the new Big Bash Series and displays it in an accessible and easy to digest format.

The relaunched site is predicted to attract around 500,000 unique users a month during the summer cricket season, offering advertisers great exposure to sports fans within an engaging digital environment.

“We are very happy with the new site and think our fans will really enjoy the improved useability and functionality” said Mandi McPherson, Manager of Digital at Cricket Australia. “Igloo have been a great partner through this process and we look forward to an ongoing relationship with them”.

Igloo General Manager Jay Claringbold said “Partnering with such an iconic Australian Brand is a real honor. In the process we have leveraged our extensive Sitecore skills and design heritage to produce a website we’re really proud of. And the best part is cricket fans worldwide will be able to enjoy the site during the busy summer of cricket.”

The site is also supported by a mobile site. close

MCM Media’s Take 40 free iPhone app has celebrated more than 200,000 downloads and been named one of 2011’s best apps by the App store*.

The free-to-download app from MCM Media’s renowned cross-platform entertainment brand, Take 40 Australia, offers mobile users more than 10,000 high quality licenced music videos on demand plus the Take 40 chart, celebrity interviews and exclusive original music content like the legendary ‘Take 40 Live Lounge’ series.

For advertisers, the Take 40 app is delivering on its promise to put brands in the hands of the nation’s music fans – importantly, within a premium video environment that users are regularly engaging with and loving. The app is currently averaging 1 million streams a month and has been given a 5 star rating by 70% of Apple’s App Store reviewers.

Targeted video ad campaigns and sponsorship packages are on offer for advertisers keen to exploit this highly engaging music content on mobile – the same environment that has proved so successful for MCM Media’s Digital Entertainment Network (DEN).  A combination of the two platforms delivers high-end video ad campaigns across a network of leading entertainment sites and iPhone smartphones. Telstra is one of the app’s first major sponsors, using the platform to promote their Pre-Paid Cap Encore Offer.

The ad funded model for the Take 40 app ensures artists are appropriately remunerated, in what is a long-standing agreement between MCM Media and the four major record labels, Universal Music, Sony Music, Warner Music and EMI.

This week take40.com also revealed the top 40 music videos of 2011. After more than 45 million streams at take40.com this year – an increase of 16% on last year – the most dominant artists were Katy Perry, LMFAO and Rihanna, with Lady Gaga take out the number one spot. See the full list at take40.com.

The Take 40 app was designed and developed by digital agency Igloo – part of the MCM Entertainment Group – and utilises Movideo’s market leading online video platform.   It’s available to download now for free from Apple Australia’s App Store.

MCM Media is a leading media, entertainment and production company renowned for its nationally syndicated radio brands, top rating entertainment websites and television content.  For more information visit mcmmedia.com.au

For details please contact:

Liz Green

Marketing and PR Director

MCM Entertainment Group

PH: 03 9635 6630

M: 0409 488 998

E: lgreen@mcmmedia.com.au close

Digital agency igloo continues to strengthen its Melbourne team with the promotion of Jay Claringbold to General Manager and a number of new hires.

Jay Claringbold came to igloo as Strategy Director in April 2010. Previously at Deloitte as the Innovation and Commercialisation Manager, Jay says “ I’m excited by the opportunities this appointment brings. We have a really strong team, fantastic culture and great client base that continues to grow.

Creative Director and co-founder Tony Prysten says “In my 17 years at igloo, I’ve rarely seen someone with such natural leadership skills. Backed with his strategic knowledge, Jay has an amazing passion for the igloo team, clients and brand and I look forward to working with him during this exciting time.”

Jay’s first major hire is Shannon McCracken in the role of Client Operations Director. McCracken, previously at Boffswana, IE and Sputnik brings a great depth of complex web delivery experience to igloo and will be working across all major clients with a focus on Mazda Australia.

Hires have also been made in the account service and technical teams. close