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News and insights on brand reputation.

From AI to Podcasts: How Australia’s News Landscape is Evolving in 2025

Six years ago, Daymark took a comprehensive look at news media and the emerging trends. We discussed investment in investigative journalism, changing subscription models and the growth of podcasts, as well as a range of threats to reliable, credible news. A lot has happened since: Covid lockdowns increased the shift towards digital platforms and fuelled a surge in demand for timely and expert updates. Rapid advances in artificial intelligence have brought both opportunities and challenges to the news landscape. And…

Who pays the ferryman (and how much)?

What public transport policy tells us about government decision-making. Understanding how governments make decisions is essential for any organisation seeking to influence policy. While advocacy often focuses on making a compelling case for a particular outcome, it is just as important to understand the forces shaping government choices—political, economic, and social. Public transport policy – and in particular, fares policy – provides a useful case study that highlights the competing factors driving government decision-making. Not many public transport (PT) networks…

What is your favourite reputation test?

Recently while listening to talk back radio in NZ, a commentator used the term ‘it would not pass the commonsense test’. This got us thinking at Daymark of the various tests that are around when it comes to assessing the veracity of a response to a potentially reputation damaging event. Here are some tests you may wish to use when assessing your next reputation challenge. Fail the test and it is likely your reputation could be at risk. The ‘pub’…

What to do when issues aren’t issues

Any corporate affairs and communications practitioner takes pride in their ability to see reputation risks from a mile away. But what happens when the issue we believe we can see on the horizon fails to materialise? Is our radar failing us? Earlier this year a client of Daymark’s discussed what they saw as a looming issue that required some preparation in case a quick and substantive response was required. This was in the face of a widely held view within…

Building resilience and trust in crisis preparedness

The recent independent report on Australia’s COVID-19 response presents a valuable opportunity to examine why businesses and organisations should strengthen trust, resilience, and transparency in challenging environments. Whether navigating complex stakeholder relationships or meeting heightened public expectations, there are key insights that can be applied for future crisis preparedness and to help build community confidence. A reminder too – trust, clarity, and adaptability are not just crisis management tools; they should be key principles for sustained growth and connection. 1.…

Is all publicity good publicity?

The phrase “all publicity is good publicity” is often linked to the 19th-century showman P.T. Barnum, who believed that even negative attention could ultimately boost visibility and financial success. This sentiment is mirrored in Oscar Wilde’s famous words, “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” The expression gained popularity in the early 20th century, with a notable mention in a 1915 issue of The Atlanta Constitution, stating, “All publicity is good if it is…

Are you cyber crisis ready?

The chances of an Australian company falling victim to a cyber attack have never been higher. In the 2022-23 financial year, the Australian Signals Directorate received one cybercrime report every six minutes, and artificial intelligence is already enabling criminals to target more victims, more quickly. The cost to the global economy is in the trillions, while for individual businesses the impact on operations, reputation, morale and share price can be catastrophic. It’s the risk everyone is talking about (when it happens…

Federal budget 2024: industry reactions and strategic messaging

There is plenty of commentary and analysis of Dr Chalmers’ Third Budget in the newspapers and elsewhere in the media and I don’t intend to add to that. Instead, I thought I would look at the reaction to the budget from civil society and the industry groups that represent the multiple vested interests in our economy and the broader community. It is illuminating to see how they frame their responses, and it is worth thinking about what they were looking…

The benefits of data-driven storytelling

Amidst the clamour of the click, like, and share, where every message is competing for attention, I thought it may be worthwhile revisiting the benefits of data-driven storytelling. It’s a potent tool – one that can raise your narrative above the noise and resonate deeply with your target audience. Utilising data effectively however isn’t just about compiling numbers or accessing information; it’s about weaving them into a story that captivates, informs, and persuades. Indeed, it requires a blend of analytical…

Gender pay gap data… and how employers respond

Shock, horror…we have a gender pay gap problem in corporate Australia! On 27 February, the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) released data on median gender pay gaps* of over 5,000 private sector employers with 100 or more employees noting that publishing employer gender pay gaps aims to help accelerate employer action. This data has been collected for many years but never published in this fashion. Just under a third of employers have a median pay gender gap within the target…

In praise of the rubber chicken

One of the corporate rituals that fell away in recent times was the corporate eight-to-a-table lunch in a hotel ballroom. I am happy to say that the rubber chicken[1] circuit is back! I have noticed that many industry associations are filling their calendars with lunches, breakfasts, cocktail events and this is a good thing. As humans we crave connection and as those working for companies, institutions, universities, governments and consultancies, a corporate event meets that need. It has other benefits…

It’s a New Year so let’s rewrite unhelpful narratives

It is an overlooked strategy when coming out of a sustained period of downward pressure on an organisation’s reputation to consider rewriting unhelpful narratives. Done correctly this can move an organisation from a reactive communications footing – or responding constantly to issues – to a proactive footing where the communications are more on your terms. It is also a great New Year’s activity that can be applied in a personal sense as well as for a business or a business…

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