Ben Willee, executive director of media and data at Spinach, pointed to the ANZ Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence index, up 3.9 points to a thoroughly mediocre 90.6.
“In economic terms, this is basically the equivalent of someone saying, ‘Well, things aren’t quite on fire anymore’.
“Apparently, we’re all feeling a bit chirpier thanks to lower inflation and the promise of an interest rate cut.
“Meanwhile, the post-election ad market is doing it tougher than a vegan at a Bunnings sausage sizzle.
“No shock that Government spending has dried up. And food, produce and dairy are down 21% no doubt thanks to retail media as it continues to hoover up dollars.
“But, for the first time in what feels like a long time, the forecast for the ad market has shifted from ‘impending disaster’ to something resembling ‘cautious optimism’.
“And across adland, there are even whisperings, faint hopeful whisperings, of actual budget increases.”