Election ad blitz ramps up as politicians flood airwaves, podcasts and social feeds

Australia’s federal election campaign is already having a clear impact on the media market, with new data showing the surge in political advertising spend continues at pace.

Data released by Guideline SMI shows government and political party advertising ramped up sharply in February, contributing to stronger market demand ahead of the May 3 poll. Government category ad revenues jumped 46% in February, adding an extra $12 million to the market, with SMI’s forward pacing data showing further increases from political parties in March and April.

SMI APAC managing director Jane Ractliffe said political parties had so far committed an additional $8 million to TV advertising in March and $6 million in April.

“Now the election has been called, more of the demand is shifting from Government category spend to political parties and industry associations,” she said. “That’s pushed total ad demand for March ten percentage points above where it sat this time last year.”

Overall, Australia’s ad market was down just 0.5% year-on-year in February, with the federal election helping to buoy demand. Outdoor advertising continued to drive the highest dollar growth, up 9.2%, while radio demand improved 3.4%. Cinema recorded the largest percentage gain, up a strong 21%. Digital spend was back 3%, although late search and programmatic bookings were expected to push that result into positive territory.

While political categories are propping up the ad market in the short term, underlying demand remains soft across some sectors.

SMI data showed the broader market would have been down 2.7% year-on-year in February without the government spend. Automotive ad spend continues to drag the market lower, falling 10% overall.

Looking across the financial year to date, ad spend is now marginally in positive territory (+0.5%), supported by digital (+5.8%), outdoor (+4.7%), and cinema (+10.5%).

“The stronger recent results have helped the market recover some ground, but much of the momentum over the next few weeks will be driven by the federal election campaign,” Ractliffe said.

Politicians pivot to digital and influencers

Data on digital and social media also highlights a broader trend of Australian political leaders engaging with voters beyond traditional TV and radio buys.

Government category ad spend onto D digital was up 31% year-on-yesr in Feb with social media up 30% YOY.

The Albanese government is leading the way, moving beyond legacy media and actively courting younger voters through social media channels and digital creators. For the first time, social media influencers have been invited to join the prime minister’s media entourage on the campaign trail, opening up access previously reserved for the Canberra press gallery.

Influencers and content creators will be able to join the traveling media pack on a daily basis, reducing barriers to entry and broadening campaign coverage.

The government also hosted a dedicated budget briefing for influencers following last week’s Federal Budget, with finance ministers presenting directly to prominent creators including personal finance expert Glen James, "finfluencer" Emma Edwards, and Ladies Finance Club hosts Daphne Berry and Molly Benjamin.

With Gen Z and millennial voters now overtaking baby boomers as the dominant voting bloc, political leaders are following the lead of US election campaigns by meeting audiences where they consume content - not just on air, but across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and podcasts.

As the campaign enters its final month, political ad spend is expected to continue climbing and pundits will be watching closely to see how the new wave of digital-first electioneering plays out.