Video Futures Collective Launch Event Highlights
- May 11
- 5 min read
On Thursday, 7 May, 2026, the Video Futures Collective (VFC) hosted guests from the Australian advertising industry at Netflix's Australian HQ to celebrate the launch of the group as an independent industry association and to provide an update on the VFC's current and upcoming projects.
Interim CEO Toby Dewar opened the presentation with a recap of the VFC's journey from an informal think tank formed in March 2024 to an independent industry body, comprised of 8 leading streaming platforms dedicated to rigorous research, standardised measurement, and the long-term sustainability of Australia’s streaming video ecosystem.
Dewar acknowledged that agencies and clients have been struggling with the 'missing pieces' of streaming advertising, such as legacy planning principles no longer appropriate for the medium, defining the role streaming plays in delivering better business outcomes and a lack of a shared measurement tool.
Dewar stated that the question the VFC aims to address is "how do we collectively be better in-market and make the most out of video for your businesses, and for your clients?"
Dewar explained that the VFC feels the best way to address these missing pieces, based on what the group has heard from the market, is through independent research, evidence-backed planning guidance and advancing a genuine leap forward in shared measurement.
Dewar highlighted key outtakes from the VFC's research to-date, including:
Research in collaboration with WWP and Adgile in March 2025, which found a sweet spot of investing 40% of clients' total video budgets into streaming was what delivered the most impact
Advertising on at least 3 different streaming platforms was shown to increase ROI by 56%, as shown through research by Analytic Partners
By prioritising streaming, campaigns can deliver 41% more active attention than other platforms (excl. cinema), as shown in the VFC x Amplified Attention Research Study, 2025
He also outlined the VFC's Measurement Vision & Mission: to establish Australia's unified cross-media ad measurement ecosystem that delivers transparent audience intelligence across participating video platforms. The VFC is uniquely placed to deliver a unified measurement system at speed and with efficiency & impact, thanks to its ability to draw on best practice globally and locally through its member platforms. The group is working diligently on bringing this vision to life with further updates to follow throughout 2026.
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VFC member representatives Mark Frain (CEO, Foxtel Media), Caroline Oates (Head of Ads & Programmatic AUNZ, YouTube), Craig Johnson (Senior Manager, Ads Measurement, Netflix) and Lee Fifoot (Acting Director of Media Sales, SBS) then offered their thoughts on the next missing pieces of streaming advertising to solve in a panel chaired by Venessa Hunt (Fixer & Future).
The first topic of the night was collaboration, with Foxtel's Frain recalling being spurred on by the initial sceptics who thought it would be impossible to bring the now-VFC members together; and demonstrating how the VFC is committed to a customer-first focus by regularly canvassing agency, client and industry partners on what they feel are their missing pieces of streaming planning.
On why YouTube joined the VFC and how it is placed to help clients solve their streaming questions, YouTube's Oates spoke to how the industry is still beholden to legacy systems and processes when consumers' viewing behaviour has changed significantly. Oates feels that the differences in viewing behaviour that YouTube has observed between connected TV and mobile demonstrates that streaming still has many untouched opportunities for reaching consumers, which the VFC is uniquely positioned to uncover through its projects.
SBS' Fifoot said the broadcaster's motivation in joining the VFC was an extension of their ongoing responsibility in proving to their clients and agency partners that their investments pay off - that their premium dollars that are going into streaming platforms are actually generating the desired outcomes.
With Netflix Ads in 12 markets globally, Johnson said that Netflix are already working with some of the best-equipped research and measurement partners in other countries which enables him to bring valuable learnings to the VFC table, to aid its mission in bringing gold-standard measurement and evidence-backed planning guidelines to the Australian streaming market.
On where streaming sits in the brand-building vs performance marketing functions, YouTube's Oates argues it can do both, with broad reach, frequency and co-viewing experiences combined with the best of digital - that is, precise targeting, along with innovative and engaging ad formats.
SBS' Fifoot reiterated the power of the VFC in bringing together a team of people with the expertise to explore and scrutinise a multitude of different measurement technologies in the search for a unified measurement system that's fit for purpose. Fifoot encouraged buy-side agencies and clients to join the VFC on this journey, to feed back on what they need in terms of measurement, research and any other challenges they're experiencing with streaming.
Netflix's Johnson spoke about the VFC's robust measurement committee which is comprised of a team with significant working experience across not just streaming, but linear and social as well. All options are brought the table and debated by the group, always with the customer at the core of the discussion.
Foxtel's Frain closed the panel with the sentiment that all members of the VFC want to leave the industry in a better place than they found it, particularly in regard to measurement.
As panel chair Venessa Hunt expressed, the time is now.
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Closing the presentation, Dewar reiterated that the VFC is here to Listen, Collaborate and Act.
To further demonstrate the VFC's commitment to listening to the market's needs, the body's next industry research initiative was announced.
Titled 'The Frequency System', and developed in collaboration with Omnicom Media Australia, the initiative responds to a growing industry challenge: while streaming video differs fundamentally from linear television, media planning still leans heavily on analogue-era TV principles.
Designed to help modernise how advertising on streaming video is planned, measured and optimised in Australia, the first phase of work will focus on one of the most important and misunderstood of those principles: frequency. This phase will seek to establish evidence-based streaming frequency guidance that is fit for modern viewing environments and practical for the market to apply.
Following a competitive three-way pitch process, Adgile has been appointed as research partner to deliver the project. This appointment reflects Adgile’s unique dataset, expertise in advanced analytics and ability to provide intelligence that connects video exposure to outcomes. It further demonstrates the company’s capability to translate complex behavioural data into best-practice planning frameworks that can be applied across the industry today.
Read more about 'The Frequency System' here: VFC launch landmark industry initiative to define new ad planning principles for streaming video
Closing the event, Dewar invited agencies and clients of all shapes and sizes to reach out and let the VFC know what their 'missing pieces' are when it comes to streaming planning.
Talk to your reps at any of the VFC member companies or contact us directly at vfc@videofuturescollective.com.au.
