Recent Wins and Industry Updates

AI Mode’s dark zero-click future and a revolution in online strategy

Hannah Mannion of Yango emphasises that as AI-driven, zero-click search becomes the new norm, brands must evolve beyond traditional SEO, optimising for visibility in AI summaries, structured content and new discovery pathways to stay competitive.

Hannah Mannion: “By making it easier for users to find comprehensive answers quickly, it could be that they also start to convert at a higher rate, due to being ready to take action earlier.”

Thanks AdNews

Agencies back Nine’s confident reset

In response to the bold resets by Nine Entertainment Co., Eb Yusuf highlights how agencies are embracing clarity, trusted environments and commercial effectiveness to help brands navigate a shifting media landscape.

Eb Yusuf: “The challenge for Nine is to embrace this opportunity authentically, ensuring that the faces we see in their flagship local content genuinely reflect the rich, multicultural reality of Australia today.”

Thanks AdNews

Seoul’s unique culture offers a marketing masterclass

Eb Yusuf delves into Seoul’s self-sustaining cultural ecosystem, highlighting lessons for Australian marketers – from the city’s immersive out-of-home advertising to the strategic use of K-celebrities, offering insights into building brand narratives that resonate deeply with local audiences.

Eb Yusuf: “What started as a casual interest quickly deepened into an appreciation for the meticulous attention to detail and a subversive edge that underpins so much of Korean pop culture. There’s a lot for Australian marketers to learn.”

Thanks Mumbrella

The Seven-SCA marriage will ‘simplify’ media planning

Natalie Murray describes the proposed merger between Seven West Media and Southern Cross Austereo as a strategic opportunity that will simplify media planning and buying for advertisers by uniting major audio and visual assets under one roof.

Natalie Murray: “It solidifies audio’s position as a critical and growing component of a modern media mix, not just a viable one.”

Thanks Ad News

Media agencies see Mamamia tighten its grip on women and their interests for advertisers

Luke Povee of Yango notes that as Mamamia deepens its influence on women’s media and interests, agencies must evolve by integrating content, data, and community strategies to meet the expectations of female audiences and advertisers.

Luke Povee: “…no brainers for brands looking to build a deeper connection with, and even directly monetise, their female audience.”

Thanks Ad News

Dynamic Duos: Getting the band back together

Yango leaders Eb Yusuf and Amy Carr reflect on their 20-year working relationship, highlighting how their complementary strengths in strategy and execution, and shared focus on people and culture, have driven recent agency growth.

Amy Carr: “We both believe in fostering a place where everyone feels supported, can learn, grow, and truly loves what they do. When our people are thriving, that energy permeates everything – especially the work we do for our clients. It’s a shared belief that makes our partnership, and Yango itself, so strong”.

Thanks Mumbrella

Slop till you drop: How AI junk is hijacking ad dollars

Angus Wright, SEO managar at Yango, highlights how AI-generated ‘slop’ – generic, low-quality content designed to game attention algorithms – is flooding programmatic ad spaces, eroding brand trust and wasting budgets, and urges advertisers to prioritize human creativity and cultural relevance over shortcuts.

Angus Wright: “The use of AI lowers production costs and speeds up turnaround times but often lacks the creativity and authenticity that helps people connect with brands. In some cases, these ads end up damaging brand perception more than they help”

Thanks Ad News

Analysis: The ‘fear’ holding back the advertising market

Managing Partner Nick Murdoch argues that the biggest barrier holding back the advertising market is risk aversion and hesitation, urging brands and agencies to lean into bold strategies and innovative investments for growth.

Nick Murdoch: “We’re seeing lots of planning happening right now, it might be the coffee talking, but we are quite bullish for the back half…”

Thanks Ad News

Utterly ridiculous or long overdue? YouTube ban for kids splits adland

The debate over YouTube’s ban on under‑16s highlights the challenges brands face in navigating evolving platforms, with Yango’s Rob Nagy emphasizing the importance of adaptive strategies and automated tools to ensure effective, compliant campaigns.

Rob Nagy: “I see this as a critical moment for us to be even more strategic and adaptable for our clients…”

Thanks Ad News

A survivor’s guide to the SEO apocalypse

Yango’s SEO & Content Director, Hannah Mannion, emphasizes the importance of an omnichannel approach – what Yango calls ‘blended media’ – to navigate the evolving SEO landscape and maintain visibility across diverse platforms. 

Hannah Mannion: “Marketers must diversify SEO strategies to include optimising for rich snippets, AI platforms, social media platforms, and generally building brand awareness using traditional media. Analyse where your brand’s target audiences are spending their time, and make sure you are optimising your content for those channels too”

Thanks AdNews

Yango launches Creator – a new division offering end-to-end influencer advertising solutions for brands

Yango has launched Yango Creator, a dedicated influencer marketing division that integrates end-to-end creator strategy, talent partnerships, content production, amplification, and performance measurement within its broader media services.

Eb Yusuf: “Yango Creator…connects brands with the right creators to make sure they become prominent in their cultural worlds, fostering authentic engagement that translates into real business growth.”

Thanks AdNews, Mediaweek, Campaign Brief, Mumbrella, MI-3

The male breadwinner is gone. Why working from home is necessary for modern families

In an SBS feature on flexible working, Yango’s Eb Yusuf and Kerrie Cullimore highlight how hybrid and work‑from‑home arrangements are now essential for modern families, empowering parents to balance career and childcare while supporting Yango’s people‑first, flexibility‑driven culture

Kerrie Cullimore: “It’s just so lovely to work for a company that is really accommodating to parents, and understands that parents can be more part of their children’s life.”

Thanks SBS

Yango Elevates Eb Yusuf To General Manager, Strategy, Culture & Insights

Yango has promoted Eb Yusuf from Head of Strategy to General Manager, Strategy, Culture & Insights, expanding her role to oversee content creator partnerships, advanced research, and strategic innovation—further cementing Yango’s commitment to people-first, data-informed campaign excellence

Luke Povee: “This expanded role will ensure Yango remains at the forefront of delivering insightful and effective campaigns by harnessing the power of data-driven insights and engaging content creator collaborations.”

Thanks B&T

Search is (un)dead, long live the AI

Hannah Mannion of Yango weighs in on how AI-powered ‘answer-engine’ search is reshaping SEO—transforming traditional link-based traffic into conversational, zero-click experiences—underscoring the need for agencies like Yango to adapt by focusing on Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) and answer-driven visibility strategies.

Hannah Mannion: “Zero click answers from AI overviews mean businesses and marketers must pivot from keyword-based strategies and focusing on traditional metrics like clicks, towards creating AI-friendly content which focuses on intent, is well structured, shows expertise, and is designed to be integrated into AI-generated summaries and generative search engines,”

Thanks AdNews

Dashboards don’t build trust: The power of people in modern marketing

Yango’s Harley Woolven argues that while advanced dashboards and data tools are valuable, true trust and effective marketing stem from human relationships—reinforcing Yango’s people-first philosophy at the core of its client service

Harley Woolven: “At Yango, our entire business has been built on the foundational belief that putting people first yields the best results. This isn’t just a catchy slogan; it’s been our mission statement for 12 years: people first, results driven.”

Thanks AdNews

Amber Tiles appoints Yango as digital media agency partner

Yango has been appointed as the digital media agency partner for Amber Tiles, taking charge of the brand’s full-channel strategy, planning, and buying to drive stronger awareness, engagement, and sales through Yango’s data-led, retail-focused expertise

Amy Carr: “We look forward to leveraging our expertise to develop and execute impactful digital media campaigns that will further strengthen their market position and drive significant growth.”

Thanks Mediaweek

Meta’s latest AI push depends on campaign effectiveness

Meta’s latest AI advertising push promises personalised, performance-driven campaigns, but industry experts—including Yango’s own Luke Creeley—stress the need for greater transparency, control, and proven effectiveness.

Luke Creeley: “While the potential is definitely exciting, Meta needs to demonstrate that its AI delivers not just broad reach, but tangible and measurable impact for our clients.”

Thanks AdNews

Sales up 362%: The EV media campaign that cut through

A data-driven, culturally attuned campaign by media agency Yango propelled BYD to become one of Australia’s fastest-growing EV brands, achieving a 362% year-on-year sales increase and a 250% rise in brand awareness.

Dylan Sargant: “We had to be disruptive, data-led, and culturally smart. And we had to be nimble enough to react to market moments. It’s been incredibly rewarding.”

Thanks Ad News

Media agencies point to the election to prove TV

The article highlights how media agencies are using the 2025 federal election to demonstrate TV’s ongoing effectiveness in reaching mass audiences, with major parties heavily investing in free-to-air and BVOD advertising.

Amy Carr: “While linear television remains a component, digital platforms offer a critical advantage: the power to connect with individual voters in ways traditional TV cannot.”

Thanks AdNews

Media agencies take a deep look at advertising on Threads

This article explores how media agencies are cautiously assessing advertising on Meta’s Threads, weighing its low-cost potential against limited reach and engagement.

Rob Nagy: “The latest numbers suggest that the platform attracts around 1.3-4M AU active users, so it is sizable,”

Thanks Ad News

Electrify your marketing: Winning Australia’s new drivers

Our own Eb Yusuf unpacks how evolving values, tech, and Gen Z influence are reshaping car buying in Australia—and what brands must do to stay relevant in a changing market.

Eb Yusuf: “To truly connect, brands must transcend superficial branding and build trust by demonstrating safety and performance expertise through compelling narratives.”

Thanks B&T

How to know your business is primed for the next big leap

Business leaders from various industries outline key indicators that a business is ready for its next growth phase, including financial stability, strong leadership, market demand, and scalable operations.

Nick Murdoch: “Scaling is an investment, so it’ll require capital upfront to get it moving, and it should provide a return on investment that ultimately leaves the business worth more than when you started, so make sure you measure the uplift.”

Thanks Dynamic Business

Young Guns: Dylan Sargant at Yango Media

Dylan Sargant has been featured as part of the Young Guns series, highlighting his career journey, industry insights, and perspectives on the future of media and advertising.

Dylan Sargant: “There are so many gifted people in our industry to learn from, which is perfect when you’re looking to grow in your role.”

Thanks Adnews

How Australia’s viewing habits are being rewired

Our very own Eb Yusuf explores how Australia’s viewing habits are shifting due to the rise of streaming, on-demand content, and changing consumer preferences, reshaping the media landscape.

Eb Yusuf: “It’s not always easy to predict ahead of time if a show is going to be a hit and get on board in the early stages of production, but if you play your cards right and stay on top of the cultural pulse, you can ride the coattails of streamer programming success – especially if it’s contextually relevant to your brand.”

Thanks AdNews

Long read advertisers allured and alarmed by DeepSeek’s arrival

The article examines advertisers’ mixed reactions to DeepSeek’s arrival, highlighting both its potential to revolutionise AI-driven ad targeting and the concerns it raises around transparency and brand safety.

Rob Nagy: “It can speed things up by automating content creation and getting messages out there faster, while also improving campaign measurement and optimisation for increased effectiveness,”

Thanks Adnews

Prime Video’s entry into advertising is impressing media agencies

Positive signs are emerging for Amazon Prime Video, six months into the streaming service starting to display advertising in Australia.

Luke Creeley: “It has allowed us to expand on existing BVOD platforms and drive incremental reach on top of other SVOD activity in Netflix, Paramount and Foxtel, amongst others”

Thanks AdNews for the coverage!

Google AI, ChatGPT and the ‘dramatic’ shift in SEO strategies

AI Search engines are growing in market, building a greater depth of understanding of how people actually talk, meaning content strategies need to evolve in tandem as a result.

Hannah Mannion: “We’re now looking at optimising for emerging platforms such as SearchGPT and Perplexity, making sure that our clients’ content is not only optimised for traditional search engines, but aligned with how AI models think and work as well,”

Thanks Adnews

Indies see talent jumping from WPP’s get back to the office order

Yango’s Managing Partner Luke Povee highlights how strict return‑to‑office mandates have created a rallying point for indie agencies, with increased interest from talent seeking flexible, performance‑driven environments like at Yango

Luke Povee: “We have always seen flexibility as one of the superpowers of an indie agency and it is definitely one of the key reasons for our success.”

Thanks AdNews

Indies see talent jumping from WPP’s get back to the office order

 Yango made a commitment many years ago to empower and trust the team in regards to flexible working – and performance across the business has never been better as a result.

Luke Povee: “It stands to reason that a company offering such flexibility may have an edge to attract talents”

Thanks Adnews for the coverage!

Independent media agency Yango wins Parramatta Eels And Frasers Property

Thanks to our friends at B&T for the coverage on our recent client wins. We have had a good few months with some more wins on the way

Where to next for an advertising market just keeping its nose above water?

The Standard Media Index tracks advertising spend in Australia and provides guidance on how the market is performing.

Our Managing Partner, Nick Murdoch, shared his take with AdNews Australia on current conditions, saying, “Let’s hope the Australian ad market holds up over the next 6-12 months, it’s going to be a challenge while the RBA continues towards its goal of curbing consumer spending

Yango wins Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia

Natalie Robinson: “This win was all about cultural alignment”

We’re excited to work with Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) and Usha Dean to help the organisation more visibly advocate for its members and promote the broker proposition.

Anyone with a mortgage knows how daunting the current credit cycle is, it’s a good time to speak to an expert broker if you havn’t already.

Thanks Mediaweek Australia

Australian advertising market holds strong against lumpy economic seas

The Standard Media Index tracks advertising spend and provides insights into industry trends.

Our Managing Partner Nick Murdoch shared his views on the data today in AdNews Australia

“…advertising is a lumpy business at the best of times, However, the last few years have been on steroids”

SMI – Significant shifts in channel ad spend with storms ahead

Video Sites/Streaming services recorded 17.8% growth and advertising demand for digital radio soared 17.4%.

Amy Carr: “We’re seeing impressive engagement and completion rates for our clients leveraging streaming platforms and are regularly recommending it as an addition to our video offering”

Thanks Adnews