Time Out Australia is Publishing Company of the Year
Time Out has won the top prize at the Mumbrella Publish Awards 2020, as well as the award for Publish Leader of the Year
In a year like no other, Time Out Australia has collected a ringing endorsement from industry peers in the form of the Mumbrella Publish Award for Publishing Company of the Year – Large.“When faced with their business model falling off a cliff due to Covid, Time Out pivoted quickly and reaped the results,” said the Mumbrella judges. “Strong growth and innovation has defined their year and made them the winner of the Large Publisher of the Year.”Additionally, Time Out Australia’s managing director, Michael Rodrigues, was named Publish Leader of the Year.Time In, Time Out’s admired temporary rebrand, picked up a Highly Commended gong in the new category of Best Response to Covid-19.“I’m enormously proud to accept these awards on behalf of the Time Out Australia team,” said Rodrigues.“After a strong 2019, first the bushfires came along, then Covid, and we had to tear up the rulebook.“The crisis gave us a new sense of purpose and forced us to innovate. We’ve found new editorial approaches, new revenue streams, new products and new technology. Traffic is strong, and our social media reach has doubled in Melbourne and tripled in Sydney. Most importantly company morale is incredibly high and that’s despite eight months of working from home.”
Michael Rodrigues | Photograph: Daniel BoudTime Out’s editorial innovations in the past year include a temporary rebrand to ‘Time In’ in response to lockdowns; a revamped approach to video content; the Time In Awards – widely praised, reader-voted awards for Covid pivots; and Love Local, area guides for ‘neglected’ suburbs to encourage readers to start exploring their cities again.Commercially over the past 18 months the company has celebrated large partnerships with the likes of Google, Transport for NSW, City of Sydney, City of Melbourne, American Express, Subaru, Lipton, Chadstone, Woodford Reserve, PETstock, Central Coast Council, Visit Victoria and Zyrtec to name a few.Time Out brand extensions included a new consultancy arm, Time Out for Business; a trade-facing podcast; and partnership with the Night Time Industries Association on campaigns to end NSW lockout laws and promote Covid-safe going-out behaviour (Rodrigues is chair of the NTIA).Run by the marketing and media industry news website Mumbrella, the Mumbrella Publish Awards are judged by a large panel of figures drawn from the local industry. This year’s awards were handed out during a livestreamed ceremony on Thursday November 5.“I would like to dedicate these awards to two great publishers with vastly different businesses but a set of common traits: humility, passion and perseverance,” said Rodrigues. “To the founder of the Time Out, Tony Elliot, who passed away earlier this year. It's a privilege to be the custodian of your legacy in Australia.“And to John B Fairfax who taught me more about business in one single meeting than I had learned in the 30 years that preceded it.”To find out how you can partner with our award-winning team, get in contact with commercial director Elise Bucholtz – elise.bucholtz@timeout.com.