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Media Spotlight 2026 brings global insights to the NZ media industry
The Comms Council hosted Media Spotlight 2026 at Q Theatre, Auckland on May 27.
Sponsored by MediaWorks, the event brought together senior advertisers, agency leaders and media executives for a discussion on the future of media planning and audience engagement.
The programme also featured global and local thought leaders addressing the challenges shaping the industry, including navigating an increasingly fragmented media landscape, harnessing emerging technologies and building enduring brands.
Pause, reflect and look ahead
Attendees heard from three speakers presenting practical, forward-looking strategies for the industry.
Dr. Felipe Thomaz joined remotely from Oxford to challenge conventional thinking on the primacy of reach.Â
Melissa Clark-Reynolds argued that as AI becomes omnipresent, the need for human discernment, taste and relationships will become superpowers.
Meanwhile, Eugene Healey, returning to Media Spotlight for a second year, spoke about the shift from rigid, top-down brand approval processes to distributed leadership and a need to let go of historic control systems. Â
Simon Lendrum, CEO of the Comms Council, says Media Spotlight continues to be a vital moment for the industry to pause, reflect and look ahead.
