The Kingmaker of Content: How Stories Drive Sales with Nick Smith

In this episode of Commerce Media Matters, hosts Nick Morgan and Paul Blackburn sit down with the one and only Nick Smith, Managing Director of Medium Rare Content Agency, to crack open the secrets behind the explosive growth of retail media.

Nick’s portfolio is packed with some of Australia’s biggest brands—Coles, David Jones, Qantas, and more. But it’s not just about big names; it’s about big ideas. Nick reveals how Medium Rare has mastered the art of transforming retail objectives into irresistible content that audiences actually want to engage with. Whether it’s the wildly popular Coles magazine (read by over 5.2 million Aussies!) or Commonwealth Bank’s 'Brighter' magazine and TV series, Nick shows how the power of storytelling can turn everyday brands into consumer favourites.

In this episode, you’ll get the inside scoop on:

• Building Brand Trust: How brands like Coles, David Jones, and Commonwealth Bank are strengthening trust and loyalty through content-driven campaigns that truly resonate.
• Next-Level Content Ecosystems: How David Jones is redefining retail media through its Amplifier arm—and what brands can learn from this content commercialization powerhouse.
• Creating Consumer Loyalty: The reason why Coles Magazine is Australia’s most-read publication.
• Retail Media’s Secret Sauce: How delivering content in-store can drive real retail results.

Nick also shares his thoughts on the future of retail media, the rise of owned media ecosystems, and why brands need to think beyond traditional advertising to connect with today’s savvy consumers. If you’re in the business of making media that matters, this is one episode you don’t want to miss.

About the guest:

Nick Smith is the Managing Director of Medium Rare, Australia's leading content marketing agency. With over 20 years of experience, Nick is a highly respected publishing executive known for creating and delivering award-winning brand strategies, premium content, and digital communications. Before joining Medium Rare, Nick was the CEO of BURO.Global, a London-based digital publishing network, where he oversaw operations across 12 territories in Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Prior to that, he served as Prestige & Lifestyle Director at News Corp Australia, leading iconic titles such as Vogue Australia and serving as Editor-in-Chief of GQ Australia.

About the hosts:

• Nick Morgan: Nick is an entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in digital marketing and eCommerce. He founded Vudoo in 2018, a platform that enables in-stream content commerce across articles, videos, and images. Nick's work transforms every ad impression into a potential shop front, offering a seamless eCommerce experience.

• Paul Blackburn: Paul is a digital media innovator with over 20 years of experience. At News Corp Australia, he launched the "Intent Connect" data platform and led innovation in shoppable video and the "Total Commerce" framework. Now as Chief Growth Officer at Vudoo, he helps brands, publishers, and agencies unlock new ways to monetise content through immersive, commerce-enabled experiences.
  
  

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