Russel Howcroft

The Changing Media Game with Russel Howcroft The media landscape has changed dramatically, but one thing hasn’t: the battle for attention. This week on The Experts Podcast, Nic Hayes sits down with one of Australia’s most recognised advertising and media figures, Russel Howcroft, to unpack what has changed, what hasn’t and what it takes to build a brand in an increasingly fragmented media world. Russel entered advertising in 1987 at McCann Erickson and immediately knew he had found his industry. Since then, he has had a front-row seat to enormous change across advertising, television, radio, digital and social media. While audiences are now spread across more platforms than ever, Russel argues the fundamental role of media remains as powerful as ever. If you want to reach people at scale, you still need media. The challenge is knowing where to find them and how to earn their attention. Russel also pushes back against the expectation of instant results. Drawing on a recent conversation with Professor Mark Ritson, he explains that advertising takes time to work. Building a genuine brand isn’t a campaign measured in weeks or months. It can be a ten-year commitment. Social media has changed the equation again. Russel shares how short-form clips from Gruen have introduced the program, and him, to entirely new audiences after 18 years on air. Through all the disruption, platforms and technology, Russel believes the central challenge remains remarkably simple: find a way to get people’s attention. Nic and Russel discuss the power of media, the long game of brand building, changing audience behaviour and why creativity remains one of the most valuable currencies in advertising.