Welcome to Start the Week, our Monday scene-setter for the week ahead.

In today’s audio-led edition: With Campaign Brief under fire for continuing to focus only on male creatives, the industry reacts; AI exhumes movie stars; the ACCC’s exposure of Coles’ and Woolworths’ shady pricing hits their brands; and Seven defends yet another legal case.

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Why won’t Campaign Brief acknowledge women (and why do male execs still support them)?

The scandal of the last few days has been playing out on LinkedIn as the industry questions Campaign Brief’s ongoing emphasis on the talents only of male creatives

Campaign Brief’s latest ranking of creatives in NZ and Australia - in the gift of publisher Michael Lynch - focuses mainly on men. Even agencies featuring on the list, including Thinkerbell, appear to be asking themselves whether it’s a good idea to be there.

Thinkerbell was among the agencies highly placed. CEO Margie Reid, who is also a director of Support The Girls Australia, took to LinkedIn over the weekend to distance her agency from the ranking, writing: “Thinkerbell has not paid, created or had any part to play in the list that appeared in the latest edition of the Campaign Brief magazine or the BestAds ranking list. Nor were we contacted when the list was published.”

Creative Jet Swain put it more succinctly yesterday: “Shame on you Campaign Brief. Nothing has changed in the three decades I’ve witnessed this blatant misogyny. Your NZ lists had no women, and Australia only has Tara Ford.”

Also in today’s podcast: AI can bring dead actors back to life; but should it?; Coles and Woolworths have seen tangible brand damage from the ACCC prosecution new data from Roy Morgan Research shows; and Southern Cross Austereo is accused of ‘mocking’ its local TV news obligations.

Further reading

* LinkedIn: Thinkerbell’s Margie Reid on the Campaign Brief sexism row

* LinkedIn: Darren Woolley of Trinity P3 on the Campaign Brief sexism row

* LinkedIn: Jet Swain accuses Campaign Brief of misogyny

* Australian Financial Review: Think you know that voice? Dead celebrities are working again

* The Australian: Aldi nabs ‘most trusted supermarket’ title as Coles and Woolies suffer

* The Australian: An absence of local news in the regions is denying a voice to the people whose lives are affected

* The Australian: Seven blocks release of ‘humiliating’ docs in case against ex-producer Amelia Saw

* Australian Financial Review: Inside ARN’s Melbourne gamble on The Kyle and Jackie O Show

Today’s episode features Tim Burrowes, Abe Udy and Cat McGinn

Editing was courtesy of Abe’s Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.

Time to leave you to start your week. We’ll be back with more tomorrow.

Toodlepip…

Tim Burrowes

Publisher - Unmade

[email protected]

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