Credit: IMAA
Independent media agencies gathered for the IMAA’s inaugural Fast.Future.Present. conference, which attracted more than 400 attendees and 45 media partners in Sydney.
Backed by News Australia and QBE, the event included a series of business briefings and networking sessions. Agencies heard from futurist Anders Sörman-Nilsson, who explored AI trends reshaping marketing, consumer behaviour and media strategy.
“Independent agencies face converging disruptions: AI automation, in-house pressure and rapidly shifting consumer behaviour,” Sörman-Nilsson said.
“But these forces create unprecedented opportunities for nimble indies who understand what’s next.”
His session focused on predictive, context-aware technology, the rise of algorithmic consumers, and how agencies can deliver human connection in an AI-driven world.
Headspring founder Mark Byrne also spoke, citing Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trends Index which found 75% of Australian office workers now use generative AI in their jobs.
Byrne warned of risks including data leakage, diminished productivity and what he labelled “workslop”, and urged agencies to move from adoption to real impact.
A panel titled Is social the new search? explored how platforms like TikTok, Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram are being used to discover products and services.
It featured Nhi Le (TikTok), Natasa Tintor (Pinterest) and Kristy Barclay-Allen (Meta), and was moderated by Vonnimedia’s Veronica Cremen.
“This is about consumers tapping into their online networks to discover new businesses, creators and communities they love,” Barclay-Allen said.
“It’s transforming search from a simple information retrieval tool into a powerful, personalised and community-centric discovery engine.”
Le said daily searches on TikTok grew by 40% this year globally.
“For us, the world’s best search results are found through entertainment, where discovery can happen instantly and intent is created by an organic behaviour like scrolling,” she said.
The panel predicted greater AI-led personalisation in search, the dominance of short-form video, and creators continuing to drive engagement.
Advice for marketers included investing in best-practice paid ads and allocating spend for intent capture.
The conference closed with a session on the future of media featuring IAB’s Gai Le Roy, Byrne, and News Australia's Jessica Gilby.
News Australia's Ian Paterson called the event “a fantastic success and a real credit to the IMAA team”, adding that Gilby’s insights highlighted “opportunities emerging at the intersection of content, technology and audience connection”.
IMAA CEO Sam Buchanan said the conference delivered exclusive insights to help agencies shape strategy ahead of 2026.
“Our first-ever Fast.Future.Present. conference was a significant moment for our industry,” Buchanan said.
“The sheer number of attendees and the incredible support from our media partners is a testament to the strong interest in the future of the sector and what’s to come for indie agencies.”
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