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

In today’s audio-led edition: Can a loveable monster make Myer’s Christmas?; The launch of AI-driven search in Australia creates a new peril for news publishing; and Nine’s chair faces a shareholder rebellion.

If you’ve been thinking about upgrading to an Unmade membership, this is the perfect time. Your membership includes a complimentary ticket to this month’s Compass roadshow, plus all of Unmade’s 2025 events, including HumAIn, REmade and Unlock (2025).

You also get our member-only content and our paywalled archives; and your own copy of Media Unmade. 

As Myer parts with Clems, it launches their last Christmas campaign; Zero click comes to Australia; and Nine’s board readies for rough AGM

With the Christmas retail season more crucial than ever for the advertising sector, Myer has launched its Christmas effort, featuring a bovver-boot wearing monster called Humbug. And will the decision of Myer to pitch its creative account open the door for a reunion?

Speaking of bovver boots, we also discuss Google’s local launch of AI Overviews and OpenAI’s decision to turn on web search.

And we discuss today’s report in Capital Brief that Nine’s chair Catherine West faces a shareholder vote against her reappointment.

Further reading:

* The Australian: Myer kicks off Christmas season with playful campaign

* Little Black Book: Myer Pitches Creative Account

* Little Black Book: Ant Keogh, Paul McMillan, and Michael Derepas Leave The Monkeys Melb to Launch Agency

* Unmade: Can ChatGPT’s new search offering see past paywalls?

* Unmade: News Corp kicks off its first big AI legal battle

* Google: Introducing AI Overviews in Australia, a new generative AI experience on Search

* The Australian: Nine chair Catherine West set for re-election at AGM this week

* Capital Brief: Nine shareholders urged to 'hold directors accountable' for toxic culture

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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