Howatson+Company's Gabriella Dudman on the future of young creatives & Her 30 Under 30 win. Published on: 19th October 2026 at 11:25 AM B&T's 30 Under 30 Awards, presented by Vevo, celebrate the next generation of talent shaping Australia's media, marketing and advertising industries. As we look ahead to 2027, we thought it was time to revisit the standout talent from the 2026 cohort. Through this series, we've been getting to know the people behind the accolades, exploring the career moments that have shaped them, what's driving their ambitions and the changes they'd like to see across the industry. Last week we spoke with 2026 Media Sales/Account Management winner, Will Mitchell. This week's instalment, B&T caught up with Howatson+Company's Gabriella Dudman, the 2026 Creative category winner, to chat about her journey so far, the ideas inspiring her work and what's to comes next. For Dudman, the path to becoming one of Howatson+Company's standout creatives has been shaped by a willingness to take on responsibility early and learn by doing. When she first interviewed for the agency, her portfolio and approach had already made an impression. It didn't take long for her to prove she could back that up, becoming the agency's youngest-ever senior designer at 24. Throuhgout her career, she's been tasked with developing brand guidelines where precision was paramount, delivering work that has gone on to earn a D&AD Pencil and a Cairns Crocodiles Award. The wins are significant moment in her career, building her confidence and cementing her reputation as a rising talent not only at Howatson+Company but in the industry. Her recognition as the winner of the Creative category at B&T's 30 Under 30 Awards adds another milestone to that journey. B&T: After winning a 30 Under 30 Award where do you see yourself in 3, 13 and 30 years' time? Gabriella Dudman: 3 years: In three years I hope to have worked on some international projects, ideally something that has taken me somewhere I haven't been and feel more confident in my position to lead and guide with more experience under my belt. 13 years: By 2039, I hope to have established myself as a creative known for my passion for art-centered projects. I want to be the person who can still jump in and get their hands dirty on a project I'm art directing or gets to know the gritty, intimate details of the company I'm rebranding. Most of all I hope I'm still painting and taking photos of silly little moments, and my curiosity lives on. 30 years: If you ask me in three decades' time if I'm where I thought I'd be when I was 26, I honestly hope I say no. I hope to have had a career and life that at times felt unexpected and exciting. The thing that appealed to me most about the career path I have taken is that it didn't follow a linear path. At the very least, I hope I can say I'm proud of the people I have impacted around me and brought a bit of joy and colour to the world. B&T: Why did you choose to enter the Awards? GD: I chose to enter as an exercise of personal reflection. Most, if not all, creatives I encounter fall victim to imposter syndrome, and I think it's important at times to take a step back and see your work through the lens of other people; it often adds up to more than what we give ourselves credit for. Vouching for yourself, even if it's just listing your achievements big and small, counts for something regardless of the result. B&T: What would you do differently if you were to enter the Awards again? GD: On a practical level, keep it short and precise. I had to cut a lot out of my submission because I spoke for too long! On a more conceptual level, I wouldn't have wasted so much time trying to find a creative idea that I thought fit the taste of other people; once I realised the best submission will be one that feels the truest and most genuine to my taste, it all came together much easier. B&T: What's one issue the industry should be spending more time on and why? GD: Right now, I think it's building confidence in juniors and those entering the industry that there is hope in such an uncertain landscape around AI. It often feels like, as someone young in the industry, that we have stepped into the burning building while everyone in it has already made it out the other side. This industry, and many others all through history, has always found new ways of working to preserve what makes it special and foster those in it, I would like to believe that this time is no different, but when you are stepping into it for the first time, you don't know that from experience. Join more than 30,000 advertising industry experts Get all the latest advertising and media news direct to your inbox from B&T.

Omnicom Media and Vevo introduce NEW Brand Fandom metric to measure the value of consumer passion. New research identifies the factors that can move consumers from awareness and transactions to advocacy and lasting brand connection NEW YORK, NY, October 15, 2026 - Fandom has long been recognized as a powerful force in culture. Now, new commissioned research from Omnicom Media Partner Intelligence and global music video network Vevo introduces a way for brands to measure its value and identify the strategies that can turn consumers' existing passions into fandom for brands. The partners have developed a custom Brand Fandom metric that measures the strength of consumers' emotional connection to a brand through four behaviors and perceptions: their intent to talk about the brand, whether they see it as standing out from competitors, whether they are proud to own or buy it, and their intent to recommend it to others. The research[[1]] finds a strong relationship between Brand Fandom and the qualities marketers are looking to build. As Brand Fandom increases, brands are more likely to be perceived as culturally relevant and trustworthy, while consumers with stronger brand fandom are also more likely to say they would pay more for the brand. "The opportunity for brands isn't to manufacture fandom, but to understand where passion already exists and find meaningful ways to become part of it," said Kara Manatt, EVP, Intelligence Solutions, Omnicom Media. "Music gives marketers a powerful entry point because the connection between artists and fans is already deeply established. By showing up in those experiences authentically, brands can turn that existing affinity into fandom of their own." Music provides a powerful pathway to brand fandom. The study identifies music as a particularly potent environment for brands seeking to build fandom, building on Vevo's research showing that music has the highest proportion of super fans among the entertainment categories examined. Forty percent of music fans qualify as super fans, compared with 36% of sports fans, 31% of gaming fans, 28% of movie fans and 24% of TV fans. Music fandom is deeply tied to identity: 92% of music fans say music is core to who they are, while 62% say music has become a bigger part of their identity since they first became a fan. That passion also translates into commercial potential. Seventy-three percent of adult Gen Z music fans say advertising using music they like makes them more likely to consider or purchase a brand. The figure is 75% among Millennials, 53% among Gen X and 47% among Boomers. The research tested how various content alignment strategies affect Brand Fandom, revealing three ways brands can participate in existing fandoms and transform them into meaningful connections of their own. Contextual strategy: Simply placing advertising alongside music video content generated a 7-point increase in perceptions that the brand is part of the artist's fan community. Seventy-four percent of people also say they think more favorably of brands that advertise around their favorite music videos. Among consumers who had not previously purchased the brand, music adjacency produced a +13-point increase in the perception that the brand is one they are proud to buy or own, compared with a 5-point increase for standard ads adjacent to general content. Integrated strategy: Combining music in the advertising with adjacency to music video content increased perceptions of authenticity and cultural relevance. In the study, authenticity generated a 6-point increase, compared with a 1-point increase for ads without a music strategy, while perceptions of cultural relevance increased by 5 points, compared with no delta for ads without a music strategy. Among consumers who had not previously purchased the brand, the strategy also increased perceptions that the brand stands out and that they would pay more for it. Fan precision strategy: Partnering with artists and aligning advertising with their music videos generated a 9-point increase in brand recommendation, compared with a 4-point increase for ads without a music strategy adjacent to general content. Among people who had not previously purchased the brand, the strategy delivered a 14-point increase in purchase intent, compared with a 5-point increase for ads without a music strategy adjacent to general content. The impact on Brand Fandom was strongest among Gen Z and Millennials, with an 8-point increase for both generations. "Fandom is built on something brands can't simply buy: a genuine emotional connection between people and the things they love," said Laura Vanison, VP, Research & Measurement, Vevo. "Our research shows that brands can earn a place in those communities when they understand the culture, context and creators that matter to fans. Music gives brands the opportunity to move beyond being seen to becoming something people actively want to talk about, recommend and be part of." The findings suggest that the value of fandom is not simply its ability to generate attention. It can help brands build the qualities that underpin stronger relationships, from trust and cultural relevance to differentiation, advocacy and willingness to pay. [1] Methodology: The study used controlled experimental testing across the US, UK and Australia, measuring 7,196 exposures among adults aged 18+ who use YouTube weekly and are interested in music. Participants were randomized into test and control cells and exposed to content of their choice with appropriate pre-roll advertising before completing a post-exposure survey. The research tested contextual, integrated and fan precision music strategies across multiple verticals.

Foo Fighters debut 'Child Actor' performance for Vevo's new extended play series. * October 6, 2026 * 3:30 am * Rock Daypop Foo Fighters have teamed with Vevo for a new performance of "Child Actor," the first video released as part of Vevo's newly launched "Extended Play" original-content series. The performance features the song from the band's latest album, "Your Favorite Toy," and was filmed at the Foo Fighters' 606 Studio in Los Angeles. "Extended Play" is designed around artist-driven performances and stories filmed in locations connected to the musicians and their creative work. The Foo Fighters video will serve as the series' first installment, with the project ultimately leading to a short film combining live performances and interviews focused on the songwriting process. The performance gives "Child Actor" an intimate but intense presentation, using a mix of rapid editing and extended shots of the band members. The visual approach mirrors the song's exploration of fame, identity, self-worth and the pressure of seeking outside validation, eventually building to the repeated refrain "turn the cameras off" before cutting to black. Vevo executive JP Evangelista praised the collaboration, highlighting the band's energy, musicianship and involvement throughout the production. "Child Actor" has already become a notable live track from "Your Favorite Toy," following performances including the Foo Fighters' appearances on "Saturday Night Live UK" and NPR's "Tiny Desk." Take a look at 'Child Actor | Vevo Extended Play' - HERE. Staff October 6, 2026 Collective Soul has released a new music video for "Eye On You," a track from the band's latest album, Touch and Go. The video arrived as the group continues promoting the 10-song record, which was released back Staff October 5, 2026 Greta Van Fleet will return to the road in 2027 with the "Into The Beginning" Tour, a 59-date North American and European trek supporting the band's upcoming fourth studio album, "Palace For The People." The Live Nation-promoted Staff October 5, 2026 Van Halen's final studio album, "A Different Kind of Truth," will return to physical formats Oct. 23 through Rhino Records, marking the first official reissue of the band's 2012 swan song in several years. "A Different Kind Staff October 2, 2026 System of a Down will mark the 25th anniversary of its landmark album Toxicity with a free, weeklong exhibition in Los Angeles. The 'System of a Down x Beyond the Streets: Toxicity 25th Anniversary Exhibition' will open Staff October 2, 2026 Grammy Award-winning musician and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Sheryl Crow has released a new single titled "Freight Train," offering fans a deeper preview of her forthcoming studio album, Pick You Up, scheduled for digital Staff October 1, 2026 Candlebox has brought back a key piece of its original lineup for a new single. The Seattle rock band dropped "I Remember Everything," marking the first Candlebox recording to feature founding guitarist Peter Klett alongside frontman Kevin