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When I first joined the Boomtown Insiders cohort, I expected a standard rundown on regional media: reach figures, growth stats, and a neat presentation on why regional Australia matters. What I did not expect was just how much the experience would shift my perspective on how our industry operates and collaborates. It is remarkably easy […]

When I first applied to be a Boomtown Insider, I was excited to learn more about a part of Australia I’d had very little exposure to. As a Kiwi who moved to Sydney a few years ago, my understanding of Regional Australia was limited, and honestly, full of assumptions. I used to picture small towns, […]

What I Learned as a Boomtown Insider: Being a part of the Boomtown Insiders program has genuinely been one of the highlights of my career. While I joined to learn more about regional media, build my skills and bring new thinking back to my agency, the biggest takeaway was the people (Boomtown really do know […]

Regional Isn’t a Checkbox on a Media Plan. It’s an Opportunity to Think Differently When I joined the Boomtown Insiders program, I expected to leave with a stronger understanding of regional media. What I did not expect was for it to challenge the way I think about planning more broadly. Throughout the program, from the […]

I’ll be honest. When I signed up for Boomtown Insiders, I saw it as a great opportunity to meet new people, expand my industry network and learn more about regional media. While I’d booked plenty of regional media, I didn’t expect the program to challenge some of the assumptions I’d developed working in agencies. If […]

A Head of Investment’s perspective on planning bias, commercial opportunity and why every media investment should earn its place.   As Head of Investment, I spend my days asking one question: Where is the greatest commercial opportunity for our clients? Notice I didn’t say, Which channel should we buy? Or Where can we find the […]

Boomtown, the media industry collective representing the 10 million people living in regional Australia, today announced the appointment of respected TV sales executive and regional media specialist, Nathan Patrick, as its new Chairman.   Patrick is a highly experienced media executive, with nearly 20 years’ experience in television sales and management.   He takes on […]

Boomtown, the media collective representing the 10 million people living in regional Australia, today announced leading independent out-of-home provider Gawk has joined the collective as its latest member.   Gawk is the 10th media organisation to join the collective, which also includes long-standing media owner members SCA, WIN, Seven, ARN, ACM, Nine NBN, 10 Regional, […]

In this series, AdNews spotlights young talent in the Australian media, marketing and advertising sector. This time it’s Boomtown’s senior marketing executive, Madeleine Gregorio. Time at the company:  Just over four years. Long enough to know where everything is buried.  How long have you been in the industry?  More than five years now.   How did you […]

This year, we, the Boomtown Insiders – the industry advisory council of emerging talent, championing regional media – took on the Cairns Crocodiles for the first time. We walked away with invaluable experiences and insights, and along the way we collected memories, connections and a few questionable souvenirs that we’ll be talking about for years. […]

In this final Cairns Crocodiles wrap, the Boomtown Insiders, Matthew Tan, Courtney Birch and Zoe Gothard, take readers through a jam-packed final day of AI debates, neurodiversity discussions, berry-snacking cinema predictions and even IKEA sleepovers. From regional media pride to Pinterest-fuelled nostalgia, the emerging talent advisory council proves Cairns Crocs isn’t just about big ideas […]

If you want to know what peak Cairns Crocs looks like, it’s being driven into the middle of a sugar cane field for the Pinterest Extra Celestial Welcome Party, feeling less like a media conference and more like an exclusive out-of-this-world rave, writes the Boomtown Insiders. Between the stratospheric drone show and one of the […]

Here, the Boomtown Insiders – an industry advisory council of emerging talent championing regional media – give their thoughts on the first whirlwind day of Cairns Crocodiles, presented by Pinterest. ‘But who are the Boomtown Insiders?’ we here you cry. They are: Matthew Tan, investment manager at Starcom, Courtney Birch, media manager at Enigma Communications […]

From the Matildas to Formula 1 to MAFS chaos, audiences outside the metro bubble are showing up in force. Nick Bower, General Manager – Advertising Sales, Paramount Australia and New Zealand When big TV moments happen, Australians show up. All of them. Wherever they are. Over six million of us watched our CommBank Matildas in […]

Several senior marketers are urging brands to spend their ad dollars in regional Australia, saying the money will “work harder” for the brands. It comes as new research from the Boomtown Spend Snapshot report, created in partnership with CommBank iQ, was announced at two industry events for senior marketers, held in Redfern, as part of […]

Regional Australia has emerged as the new economic heart driving the nation’s economy, with consumer spending power of $250 billion annually and insights showing Boomtown residents now outspend their metro counterparts across several key consumer categories. New data released this week by Boomtown, in partnership with CommBank iQ, has revealed the true spending power of […]

Australia’s 10m regional consumers have $250bn in annual spending power and are outspending metro compatriots in a host of categories, from groceries to homewares, lifestyle, streaming services, travel and auto, new CommBank iQ data reveals. The cohort often leading such spending? Millennials. Yet even as regional media investment cracks its highest levels in a decade […]

Regional Australians contribute $250 billion annually to the national economy and consistently outspend metro consumers across groceries, petrol, home improvement, lifestyle and travel, according to the inaugural Boomtown Spend Snapshot report produced with CommBank iQ. The report, drawn from de-identified transaction data from more than 17 million Australians across 40 spending categories, found regional consumers spend 13% […]

Research also points to 2026 becoming the “year of two trips” for regional Australians. Boomtown has released a new travelguide for brands. New travel research shows that regional Australians are expected to spend more, stay longer, and take more domestic holidays than metro travellers in 2026, as the media collective makes a fresh pitch to travel […]

Boomtown has launched its first advisory council session for the inaugural cohort of Boomtown Insiders in Newcastle, New South Wales. The session marks a collective effort to promote regional media across Australia, bringing together emerging talent from various companies. Participants in the event included representatives from Afterpay, Atomic 212, Enigma, Nine, Ptarmigan Media, Sanctuary Media, […]

The AdNews end-of-year Perspectives, looking back at 2025 and forward to next year.  And see the AdNews 50 plus page state of the market report, Forecast 2026 Francesca Ryan, Marketing Lead, Boomtown.  2025 was the year that truly tested the resilience and ingenuity of marketers. Budgets were tightened, teams were leaner, and yet, high expectations remained. […]

‘It felt like a gamble, I knew it would challenge me – and that’s what I wanted.’ Moving to Cairns last year was a real leap of faith. I’d only visited once as a child, and three decades later, I had no idea what awaited me. Until recently, I worked as an actress – not […]

Boomtown, the media industry collective representing the 9.9 million people living in regional Australia, has announced its advisory council for 2026. The Boomtown Insiders are Marcus Billingham-Yuen, senior client partner media strategy at Afterpay; Courtney Birch, media manager at Enigma; Zoe Gothard, sales executive at Nine; Angus McLeod, senior planning and trading executive at Atomic […]

Boomtown, the media industry collective representing the 9.9 million people living in regional Australia, today announced the launch of the Boomtown Insiders – a new agency advisory council of regional media champions. The initiative is designed to identify and nurture emerging industry talent who will be life-long advocates for regional Australia. The collective is now […]

Boomtown has appointed Andrew Baxter chairman, replacing Brian Gallagher, who stepped down in June. Baxter has led agencies behind high-profile campaigns such as AAMI’s “Rhonda and Ketut” and Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke”. He previously served as CEO of Ogilvy and Publicis and currently holds board roles with Australian Pork, Foresters Financial, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and OzHarvest. He […]

After an epic Pinterest Welcome Party, marketing leaders from around the country woke up bright and early for breakfast with Boomtown at Crystalbrook Flynn. Cairns itself is Boomtown incarnate, a regional Australian city that is absolutely flying all weeks of the year—not just during the week of Cairns Crocodiles. The CMO breakfast, held the day […]

Forget waiting for taxis or trudging through the sticky far north Queensland heat – we’ve got your ticket to the slickest ride this side of the Great Barrier Reef: the Boomtown Bus. That’s right, the popular Boomtown Bus, powered by goTransit, is back for the 2025 Cairns Crocodiles, presented by Pinterest, after a successful first […]

Australia’s media landscape stands at a critical crossroads. The industry is estimated to represent $25.2bn, with steady annual growth forecast, according to Group M’s 2024 This Year Next Year report. Yet a profound transformation has occurred, with digital channels now commanding 72 per cent ($18bn) of this investment, and global giants Alphabet and Meta claiming […]

The Easter break is on our doorstep and Boomtown is the destination of choice for Australian travellers looking to capitalise on the last glimpse of summer-like weather, according to new research. The majority of Australians favour regional destinations for their Easter holidays with 69 per cent of metro residents and 86 per cent of regional […]

Get ready to cruise into Cairns Crocodiles, presented by Pinterest, in style on the Boomtown Bus, powered by goTransit! That’s right, the popular Boomtown bus is back for 2025, providing the ultimate transport service to get you where you need to be—stress-free and on time. Not got your tickets yet? Snap em up here. Whether you’re […]

After navigating digital disruption and Covid-19, regional newspaper publishers have been building a more robust model. But they are still in need of a helping hand. Close to 200 regional publications have disappeared across Australia in the past decade, many faltering during and after Covid-19. Despite the challenges, there were still 550 print news outlets […]

Boomtown, the collective representing the nearly 10 million people living in regional Australia, has today announced Network 10 as its newest member. Network 10 joins the collective as its ninth member, alongside long-time media companies SCA, WIN, Seven, ARN, ACM, Nine NBN, News Corp Australia, and Imparja. Network 10 represents three regional aggregated markets in […]

WPP AUNZ Chief Strategy Officer, Katie Rigg-Smith has highlighted the importance of including regional Australia on clients’ media schedules at the first Boomtown Masterclass for 2025. “We have a responsibility. It’s incumbent on us to spend our clients’ money wisely—and there’s a big opportunity and population out there. We need to make sure we’re considering […]

Drag queens, medical doctors, marketing professionals, financiers – Australia’s regional residents are as professionally diverse as metro consumers, younger than ever, and present a lucrative growth opportunity for brands and agencies willing to rethink their marketing and media investments. Here are just a few of the surprising residents you’ll find if you’re willing to take […]

he Cairns Hatchlings, presented by Yahoo, isn’t just about creativity—it’s about real-world impact. And when it comes to marketing that delivers results, Boomtown knows a thing or two. As the sponsor of this year’s Best Marketing Team category, Boomtown is throwing its support behind emerging talent ready to take on one of the biggest untapped […]

Having grown up in regional Australia, Jamie Wood, global sales director at Boost Media International, understands the importance of local media. Here, he discusses just how powerful it can be, and why marketers should get behind it. I grew up in Gunnedah, New South Wales. Gunnedah has a population of about 8,300 – 4,300 of […]

The pandemic did more than shift lifestyles. It transformed Australia’s regional landscape. What those of us outside the capitals have long known was suddenly uncovered by those in metro areas seeking escape to Australia’s coastal and inland gems. We all know what happened next – regional populations boomed, capital cities saw the largest population loss […]

I’m lucky to live in a place most people dream of. With just 300 metres from our front door to the beach, it’s wonderful to live and work in a place outside the stress and noise of our nearest major capital city. What comes with that is we are a haven for tourism. If you’re […]

Boomtown’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent in the advertising, marketing, and media industries is taking centre stage through its partnership with Cairns Hatchlings, Presented by Yahoo. By investing in education and skill development, Boomtown is addressing the talent gap while championing the potential of regional markets. Set against the vibrant backdrop of the Cairns Crocodiles […]

Boomtown has officially announced its first 2025 Masterclass and the panel who will be featured in it. The announcement: Boomtown, the collective representing the 9.8 million people living in regional Australia, today announced its first Masterclass of 2025, featuring a panel of must-see industry experts, following a successful 2024 education program. Registrations are now open […]

The AdNews end of year Perspectives, looking back at 2024 and forward to next year. Brian Gallagher, Chairman, Boomtown From a media landscape perspective, I am marking 2024 an “incomplete”. After anticipating a year of media sector consolidation, ad growth across most domestic media platforms and action on consumer data protections – which could stimulate […]

“Boomtown will boom your business” was the key message shared by three of the nation’s leading female marketing experts at the final online Boomtown Masterclass for 2024, which nearly 100 people tuned into. The masterclass, which was held online on Thursday 21 November, featured insights from a panel of senior women in media, including Lucy Formosa Morgan, managing […]

These are interesting times, and the challenges faced by Australian marketing and media are frequently diabolical. There is always opportunity in a crisis, but rarely a single solution that is easy to see. Many are worried, searching for answers, and seeking guidance from our best thinkers. At Mumbrella, we want to interview industry leaders to […]

Australia’s population growth has traditionally focused on urban centres like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. But recent shifts are rewriting the script. As the Queensland election results recently showed, regional areas now hold significant sway, with smaller towns influencing outcomes and shaping the nation’s direction. These shifts aren’t just political—they signal deeper changes in how regional […]

Regional media has never been more important. As Bernard Salt AM told a room full of Sydneysider media buyers earlier this year, not only is the smart money moving to the regions but smart people are too—in fact, Salt expects that at least a million people to move from metro areas to the regions over the […]

Travel and getting out and about is synonymous with an Aussie summer and Aussies are not giving up travel despite the inflation crisis. Boomtown remains the most popular place to travel over the Christmas/Summer period, with more than half (51%) of metro audiences travelling to regional Australia. And of those that live in regional, more than two […]

Investing regional advertising back into creating local content is crucial to ensuring a lively media landscape. Brian Gallagher, Chair of Boomtown, explores why this reciprocity is necessary, and how Boomtown is celebrating it.   It’s been five years since Boomtown, the collective marketing body representing the 9.8 million people residing in regional Australia, launched onto […]

The Masterclass will be held online on Thursday, November 21 from 10 am AEDT. A trio of Australian female marketing experts is set to offer their insights on the value of regional media advertising as part of the next Boomtown Masterclass. The November Masterclass will feature an expert panel of senior women in media, including Lucy Formosa […]

Boomtown recently kicked off a new trade ad campaign challenging marketers and buyers to cut through the cliché and invest in regional markets.  Their statistics are compelling but it’s their job to sell regional, so they are always going to be.  But as someone who independently measures ROI of media day in, day out, I’d […]

Every marketer is tasked with finding new pockets of growth, so why aren’t more getting outside Australia’s five major capital cities and making the most of the nation’s dynamic regional audiences? With almost a 20-point gap between the ratio of media spend in regional areas against the population (9.8m and continuing to rise), the opportunity […]

Chris Minns might be trying to get NSW public sector workers to return to the office, but don’t expect millennials who’ve migrated in droves to Australia’s regional areas for their forever homes to comply, says Bernard Salt. Even as unemployment figures inch up, and the cost-of-living crisis and softer economic climate give employers more power […]

Regional media spend is holding up amid broader market grind – and a new trade campaign is landing, challenging marketer bias and opening doors for Boomtown’s publisher-TV-audio collective. Now sales teams from Southern Cross Austereo, WIN Television, Seven Network, ACM, ARN, Nine, News Corp Australia and Imparja Television need to show what they’re made of and extract best bang from marketing buck, says […]

At Boomtown’s Masterclass last week, three marketing and media experts – Optus’ Lauren Dawber, The Speed Agency’s Rob Maxwell, and Kennards Hire’s Manelle Merhi – revealed that a sizeable portion of customers for national brands are outside capital cities. ‘More exciting’, ‘more effective’ and ‘double the impact’ were just a few of the insights from […]

TV IKEA’s CMO Kirsten Hasler and former Diageo and Domino’s CMO Adam Ballesty reckon there is plenty of value in pouring ad dollars in regional Australia, but only under certain conditions. Two of the nations top marketers have encouraged the industry to consider regional Australia. IKEA ANZ’s head of marketing Kirsten Hasler said that the […]

Boomtown, the media collective representing the benefits of advertising to 9.8 million regional Australians, has today unveiled a new multi-channel campaign developed by Thinkerbell, featuring the brand positioning of Population: Unexpected. The new campaign is designed to celebrate and reinforce the exponential opportunity that advertising in regional Australia offers businesses. The campaign shines a spotlight […]

The campaign aims to showcase why regional Australia is the ideal destination for brands this fiscal year. Boomtown has launched a new campaign urging national brands and agencies to incorporate regional Australia into their FY25 advertising plans, for five good reasons. The campaign, debuting today, aims to showcase why regional Australia is the ideal destination […]

Plastic money, driverless buses, Macca’s brekkie, and lockout laws. While you might not love all of these things or be as prone to a hash brown as I am, they all have a common thread: they were tested in regional Australia, specifically in NSW’s Newcastle and the Hunter region. The beta / test market approach […]

Boomtown, established by media owners five years ago, has found an increasingly strong appetite for regional advertising, according to an industry survey. The purpose of the study was to understand the awareness of regional media advertising and perceptions of regional media and Boomtown. The survey of 100 found regional advertising gave access to valuable local […]

According to the industry leaders at the 2024 Boomtown masterclass, advertising in regional Australia is an absolute must for agencies and brands. Advertising in regional Australia should be a ‘no-brainer’, according to national industry experts, who kicked off Boomtown’s 2024 masterclass series last week. Boomtown – the collaborative representing the millions of people living in […]

It’s always baffled me why investing in regional media is a topic worth talking about in 2024, let alone penning an opinion piece…yet here we are. Whilst more and more brands are beginning to include regional Australians in their marketing efforts the investment-to-opportunity gap remains woefully wide. In fact the latest Boomtown report shows regional […]

Salvos Stores has been named Marketing Team of the Year (sponsored by Boomtown) at the AdNews Agency of the Year Awards held at the SCG. The team was chosen against a strong field, including finalists Bonds, Cashrewards and Tourism Australia. “Judges were impressed with the resourcefulness of the Salvos team of just three fulltime and […]

I penned a few thoughts late last year on the impact of data and privacy regulations on advertising and media. It’s an important topic and so I’m sharing a summarised version here in case you missed the original. 2024 will be no less disruptive than 2023. Efficiency and effectiveness will be the key themes, driven […]

Boomtown has unveiled its first masterclass for the year, marking the launch of its 2024 regional media education series. The first masterclass, to be held February 29, will be a free 90-minute industrywide webinar. The masterclass will provide insights on regional media planning within the broader marketing mix, along with learnings and success stories from […]

The Big Rainbow Project, which was delivered during the recent Pride Season, including the World Pride festival, gave Tinder its best-ever brand-perception results in Australia and helped the business connect with regional LGBTQIA+ audiences. Tinder used unique insights about regional Australians’ desire for connection to create an innovative, dynamic campaign that encouraged the Gen Z […]

Boomtown is one of the largest and fastest-growing markets nationally and comprises nearly 40% of the overall population. Goodbye metro cities, hello Boomtown – the nationwide tree and sea change is on, and there’s no sign of it slowing down. The era of regional living has been dawning since the pandemic, when many Aussies seized […]

Despite its famous beaches, great climate and world-class restaurants, huge numbers of people are quitting Sydney for one big reason. Living in Sydney has become a financial nightmare and the ever-rising cost of housing, food and bills is forcing more and more people to call the city quits, new data shows. Removalist comparison website Muval […]

Don’t treat regional media as a charity, but a real growth opportunity: That’s the message from Boomtown’s final masterclass of 2023, attended by almost 100 media industry representatives from across the nation. The masterclass was part of a series of educational sessions, delivered by Boomtown, the media collective championing advertising in regional Australia. The sessions […]

2023 was a year of kinetic disruption. In the ad markets, the year defied all efforts to budget and forecast with accuracy. From the economic impacts of global unrest, rising interest rates driving domestic inflation (to replace the supply chain issues from the previous year) to specific ad industry issues such as the release of […]

In a world where advertising is decided by data, impressions and attention, it would make sense to start here when arguing the absurdity of our industry’s metro-centric view of advertising. Yet, whilst the numbers do indeed tell a story about just how important it is to advertise to regional Australia, it is Boomtown Chair’s Brian […]

The AdNews Agency Of The Year Award 2023 finalists have been revealed. The awards, with Samsung Ads as presenting partner, were judged by senior marketers and CMOs from across Australia. Read their insights into this year’s submissions here. The winners will be announced at a long lunch ceremony on February 22, 2024. The lunch will […]

Mobile and internet service provider, Belong, says it has experienced a significant boost from its inaugural Boomtown campaign, leading to a strategic shift towards regional advertising. The campaign, which was rolled out in eight regional markets including Cairns, Newcastle, Wollongong, and Darwin, aimed to drive sales, brand awareness, and share of voice. The results have […]

Forever has the flow of people been from the town to the city, from the country to the metro. Enter one pesky virus, and all of a sudden that’s been turned on its head. Suddenly we realised life was better beyond the big smoke and disposable incomes are healthier as well. No wonder we call […]

A new marketing leader has been recruited by regional media collective, Boomtown, following the departure of current marketing lead, Prue Tehan. Regional marketing and advertising initiative, Boomtown, has brought on former Koala and Athena lead marketer, Leanne Glamuzina, as its new marketing lead. She takes up the reins from early November and replaces current marketing […]

According to the latest data, Boomtown remains resilient and upbeat, despite rising cost-of-living pressures New research from Boomtown has revealed the similarities and differences between metro and regional Australians when it comes to sentiment and spending. The study has found regional Australians are feeling happier and generally more positive about life than city dwellers, despite the […]

The Suncorp Group and AAMI’s regional advertising campaigns have generated significant results, according to the insurance and banking group. The announcement: National insurance and banking company, Suncorp Group, has notched up significant results from its investment in advertising in regional Australia, pairing clever creative with audience insights for a sizeable lift in brand consideration, sentiment, […]

The larrikin, former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, who passed in 2019, would have downed a few pints and shouted a few more to this one: Hawke’s Brewing Co, with an established foothold in Eastern metro markets as a loveable premium challenger brand, had a blind spot – rural Australia. The beer company he helped establish […]

Sam Buchanan: “Regional media buying is an important area of education for agencies and marketers nationwide” Independent Media Agencies of Australia (IMAA) has launched Regional101 – a deep-dive into the regional media landscape as part of its IMAA Academy education program. The e-learning module is the latest course in the IMAA Academy’s eight-part education program and is a collaboration between the association and Boomtown […]

Boomtown has launched its multi-platform ‘Untapped and Uncapped’ campaign, featuring a number of the country’s top marketers touting the benefit of regional media buying. The campaign is aimed at marketers and media agency strategists, and features an instructive video series, and the launch of a free e-book: Untapped and Uncapped: Seven Lessons in Marketing to […]

Brian Gallagher, former chief sales officer at SCA, has been appointed as Boomtown’s independent chair. Gallagher has served as chairman since Boomtown launched in 2019 and, as independent chair, will provide continued strategic guidance and alignment to Boomtown’s marketing and education efforts, contribute to marketing activity, and collaborate with relevant industry bodies, among other activities. […]

The agency’s director Adam Arndell spoke to Mediaweek about its recent exceptional growth and being a leader in the niche space C7EVEN Communications was launched by Adam Arndell and his business partner Sarah Crowe in July 2015. The duo saw an opportunity in the marketplace for a specialist marketing and communications agency that focused wholeheartedly […]

New reports from Boomtown has revealed Australian regional cities are experiencing population and economic growth as people move away from metro areas, leading to a new spotlight series. Launching today, Boomtown’s ‘City Spotlight’ series places the spotlight on nine key regional hubs that are experiencing a renaissance as Australians continue to embrace sea and tree […]

Regional business is booming, ladies and gentlemen! In fact, Boomtown currently represents a seriously substantial 9.1 million people living in regional Australia. That’s 36 per cent of our population, or if you prefer, almost TWO New Zealands! Boomtown is an Australian-first media collaboration of major regional media owners – SCA, WIN Network, Seven, ARN, ACM, Imparja, News […]

Boomtown’s National Virtual Masterclass on Thursday will see panellists Emily Moss (Commercial Director, Canberra FM Radio) and Philippa Moig (Business Director, OMD) sharing their tips, hints and real-life examples on how to best connect brands with regional audiences. The Masterclass, a series of 90-minute virtual sessions facilitated by marketing expert Gaye Steel (AANA) that kicked […]

Gallagher also talks about the importance of the IMAA and the consolidation of the market With Australia beginning to open up again following the Covid-19 pandemic, Boomtown, the million-dollar regional trade marketing campaign, believes it is in a good position to drive even more ad spend into regional Australia, Mediaweek caught up with Boomtown chairman and […]

Boomtown’s campaign results for pasta brand San Remo have demonstrated the power of regional media. The announcement: A multi-platform Boomtown campaign has delivered exceptional results for leading Australian pasta brand San Remo, demonstrating the power of regional media to boost brand awareness and sales. In one of the most comprehensive cross-media case studies released by […]