Ryvalmedia Pulse (Vol.56)

No Door Knocking Needed: Politicians Double Down on Digital

As the race for the 2025 Federal Election heats up, the major parties have focused their paid media efforts into the digital sphere, according to Brisbane based measurement firm, Adgile. The ability to target based on demographic and location is a key factor in this change in strategy, according to Adgile managing director Shaun Lohman.

During the first two weeks of the campaign alone, spending on YouTube increased 600% compared to the 2022 election.

This means that in the short term media buyers will need to navigate a significantly more competitive digital advertising landscape. The intensified focus of major parties on online channels may drive up the cost of digital inventory, particularly for highly sought-after demographics and geographic locations such as battleground seats.

Subscription Fatigue Opens the Door For Advertisers

A striking finding for 2025 reveals that almost 50% of Gen Z and 36% of Millennials prefer the video experience on social media to that of paid streaming services, with subscription fatigue being a significant driver for this change.

This has driven the rise of hybrid streaming models giving users the option to watch ads to lower their monthly subscription. This evolving preference presents a critical imperative for advertisers and media buyers: ignoring ad-supported digital platforms is no longer an option.

As younger audiences turn away from traditional services, advertisers and media buyers face a clear imperative - ad-supported digital platforms cannot be overlooked from a strategic perspective. Reaching younger audiences effectively now demands social media advertising be used in parallel with ad-based streaming platforms.

No Cookie Crumble Today! Google's Surprise Move Keeps Trackers Ticking

Forget the cookie-less future. Google has recently doubled-down on its Chrome privacy plans to keep third-party cookies, leaving Australian digital advertisers and consumers in a state of both relief and uncertainty.

Google's decision also sees a pivot away from a standalone prompt for third-party cookies in Chrome, offering users a "choice". 

However, the smarter approach now for brands is to pivot to new longer-term solutions that respect privacy and meet people at the right moment, using technologies like contextual advertising and attention measurement, which honour Aussies’ appetite for control while still delivering relevant messages. Relying solely on third-party cookies moving forward carries increasing risks now more than ever, of becoming untrustworthy and out of touch with modern privacy expectations.