Manufacturing research at IMDEA Materials Institute has demonstrated a new way to increase the flexibility of 3D-printed nickel–titanium alloys, using woven architectures to overcome limitations associated with additive manufacturing.
In a studyconducted with the Technical University of Madrid (UPM) and published in Virtual and Physical Prototyping, researchers reported that highly deformable, interwoven nitinol structures can achieve mechanical performance not previously possible with conventional 3D-printed approaches.
IMDEA Materials Institute said nickel–titanium alloys, commonly known as nitinol, are widely used for their superelastic and shape-memory characteristics, especially in biomedical devices and other high-performance engineering applications.
The institute noted, however, that when nitinol is manufactured using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) – the most commonly applied additive manufacturing method for the alloy – the resulting components generally exhibit reduced elasticity compared with those produced through established industrial manufacturing processes.
“While LPBF remains the gold standard of nitinol additive manufacturing, the shape-memory and superelastic properties of these additively manufactured NiTi parts do not yet match those achieved with more conventional industrial processes,” said Carlos Aguilar Vega, a researcher at IMDEA Materials and UPM, and a co-author of the study.
Rather than focusing solely on material optimisation, the research team adopted a design-centred manufacturing approach, using geometry to enhance mechanical performance.
The work focused on complex woven forms, including meshes, rings and tubular structures, produced directly through additive manufacturing.
“These were some of the most complex-shaped woven nitinol structures ever created,” said Prof. Andrés Díaz Lantada of UPM and IMDEA Materials Institute. “They demonstrate the possibility of achieving self-supported NiTi wovens via LPBF techniques.”
According to the researchers, mechanical testing showed that properties such as stiffness, load-bearing capacity and energy absorption could be adjusted across several orders of magnitude through design alone.
Computed tomography was used to compare printed components with their digital models, confirming the accuracy and robustness of the manufacturing process.
“This work represents the first demonstration of design-based optimisation of additively manufactured superelastic nitinol,” Aguilar Vega said, adding that architectural design can help mitigate mechanical drawbacks inherent in current additive manufacturing methods.
The research was carried out by a joint IMDEA Materials and UPM team and supported by the Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid through the iMPLANTS-CM research and innovation programme.
Australian print businesses are rethinking manufacturing strategies in 2026, with automation and digital inkjet technologies reshaping how production moves through the factory floor, according to Jet Technologies.
In a statement, the company said ongoing labour shortages, rising turnaround expectations and increasing job complexity are prompting printers to reduce manual intervention and streamline manufacturing workflows.
Jack Malki, Director at Jet Technologies, said the most significant change underway is a structural shift toward production environments with fewer touchpoints and greater reliance on digital platforms.
“Printers are being asked to deliver more jobs, in more variations, with fewer people involved at every step,” Malki said. “That combination simply isn’t sustainable with traditional, labour-intensive workflows, and it’s why we’re seeing sustained momentum behind digital print — particularly inkjet.”
According to Jet Technologies, digital inkjet is increasingly being assessed not only on print quality or run length, but on its ability to simplify manufacturing processes and reduce manual handling across the business.
“In many cases, the difference in touchpoints compared to conventional print is substantial,” Malki said. “Digital print allows work to move through the business with far less manual handling.”
The company noted that presses alone are not driving change. Printers are also investing in automation beyond print engines, including Management Information Systems, automated artwork intake, pre-press preparation, variable data workflows and finishing systems.
“Automation is often underestimated,” Malki said. “The biggest gains happen when everything is connected. Even simple job-memory functions can save an enormous amount of time when complexity increases.”
Labour availability remains a consistent pressure point across labels, packaging and commercial print, Jet Technologies said, citing an ageing workforce and ongoing challenges in attracting and training younger staff.
“There isn’t a single business we work with that isn’t feeling labour pressure in some form,” Malki said. “It’s universal, and it’s the main driver behind the structural changes we’re seeing.”
As a result, the company said digital platforms and automation are increasingly viewed as essential to maintaining output, consistency and quality with fewer skilled operators.
Jet Technologies also reported growing interest in digital embellishment, particularly in labels. One emerging area highlighted by the company is label contouring, where inkjet embellishment creates multi-height, tactile finishes.
“Once brand owners see contoured, tactile labels, flat print starts to feel very ordinary,” Malki said. “It adds a level of engagement that’s difficult to achieve any other way, and the response from brands has been extremely strong.”
On sustainability, Jet Technologies said adoption remains uneven across the industry, varying between segments and even among customers in the same category.
“There’s a very broad spectrum, from minimal change through to genuinely embedded sustainability strategies,” Malki said. “In the past, there was a lot of re-labelling of existing products, but that’s starting to give way to more meaningful change.”
He added that recent progress has been supported by new materials offering improved environmental outcomes without compromising performance or cost.
“When a sustainable solution is accessible and commercially realistic, the industry does move,” Malki said, citing laminating films containing recycled content as an example of products that have moved from niche to mainstream.
Looking ahead, Jet Technologies said print businesses that continue investing in digital inkjet, automation and connected manufacturing workflows are likely to be better positioned to manage labour constraints while meeting increasing demands for speed, variation and complexity.
Precision Plastics Australia has unveiled DesignLab.au, a new platform designed to link global product designers with Australian additive manufacturing capability, in a move that reflects the growing shift toward locally produced, design-led consumer goods.
The Sydney-based company, which has spent the past five years expanding its industrial 3D printing operations, says the initiative demonstrates how manufacturing in Australia can remain competitive by focusing on speed, flexibility, creativity and just-in-time production.
In an exclusive interview with Australian Manufacturing, Dr Craig Morrison, founder of Precision Plastics and DesignLab.au, said the platform formalises a model the company has been refining since 2020, when supply chain disruptions and rising freight costs exposed vulnerabilities in traditional offshore manufacturing.
“DesignLab.au was built on a simple idea — that world-class design doesn’t have to be manufactured overseas,” Morrison said.
“By combining global creative talent with our advanced local production and retailer network, we’re proving that innovation, sustainability, and style can thrive together — right here at home in Australia.”
Design–manufacturer collaboration and workflow
According to Precision Plastics, the platform provides end-to-end support from digital design submission to local just-in-time manufacturing.
Morrison said the combination of high-volume additive manufacturing, digital collaboration systems and domestic distribution enables designers to bring products to market without sacrificing creative fidelity or production efficiency.
“We employ a number of prototyping processes, including close designer–manufacturer collaboration on materials, colours and textures, along with local production oversight to assure consistent quality,” he said.
“For efficiency, we scale by using just-in-time workflows across our large-scale print farm, employ batch process automation methods, a proven raw material base, and local vertically integrated supply chains to produce wonderful products from world-wide designers delivered on-demand to local retailers for sale to Australian consumers,” Morrison explained.
Production capacity and advanced additive technologies
The company said DesignLab.au is underpinned by Precision Plastics’ production capacity, which includes more than 100 FDM and SLA printers from Bambu Lab, Raise3D, Prusa and Formlabs, operating in its Lane Cove facility.
Image supplied by DesignLab.au.
It noted the printers support materials ranging from PLA and ABS to nylon and carbon-fibre composites, alongside laser CNC capabilities for hybrid production. Morrison noted that this scale allows the business to operate with the flexibility required for just-in-time manufacturing.
“Capacity and flexibility matter,” he said. “We can respond to demand fluctuations quickly. With a large fleet of printers, we can absorb designer and retailer needs and ramp up or down.”
Sustainability and material innovation through scale
Morrison said that scale is also playing a critical role in sustainability and material innovation. The company argues that localisation reduces transportation emissions, while on-demand production helps minimise waste created by excess inventory.
“Our large print farm means we can scale variations without massively increased cost/lead time,” he said.
He added that volume gives the company more scope to experiment with new materials, including recycled and recyclable plastics, composites and specialised finishes for home-décor applications.
“Without scale, the ability to offer many materials may well be uneconomic,” Morrison said. “Scale enables material innovation, more exotic finishes, custom colours and textures — all consistent with our DesignLab home-décor focus.”
Positioning Australia in design-led manufacturing
DesignLab.au, which is certified Australian Made and Owned, is positioned as a model for reshoring small- and mid-scale production by focusing on speed, agility and product distinction rather than low-cost mass manufacturing.
Image supplied by DesignLab.au.
Morrison said the company sees opportunity in a model that avoids large batch sizes and long offshore supply chains. “While Australia can’t win the $0.05-per-part game, it can win the ‘make exactly what’s needed, quickly and beautifully’ game,” he said.
He said that design-driven products offer a manufacturing pathway less exposed to commodity-based competition. “When design is central, consumers and retailers focus less on cost and more on uniqueness, provenance and meaning,” Morrison noted.
What’s next
Precision Plastics said DesignLab.au aims to support an expanding network of designers and retailers, with products developed, printed and distributed from Sydney to locations nationwide.
“DesignLab.au isn’t just making products; strategically, it’s reframing what ‘Australian manufacturing’ means,” Morrison said.
The company said it welcomes new collaborators across design, retail and consumer markets as it continues developing locally produced collections for Australian homes.
For Filipinos, sari-sari stores form the backbone of daily commerce within the community. These small neighbourhood shops sell general merchandise in small quantities, or ‘tingi’ – from single sachets of shampoo to even soda in tiny plastic bag containers. These allow consumers to buy goods in the smallest possible quantities that match the day’s budget and needs.
For decades, these micro-retailers have operated on a system built entirely on cash and community trust. Today, the same stores have put up new displays alongside their candy jars – QR codes. The digital revolution that continues to sweep global finance has inevitably found a home in these grassroots enterprises, transforming the humble sari-sari store into digital financial hubs.
When tradition meets technology: The friction points
Just as with any significant transformation, bridging digital with traditional comes with hurdles.
Connectivity in the country brings substantial challenges. Many urban neighbourhoods all over the archipelago experience inconsistent network coverage. Signal strength varies widely depending on provider and location, creating unpredictable service. Since cashless transactions depend entirely on reliable internet connections, even a momentary signal drop can leave a payment incomplete, frustrating both the customer and the store owner.
Trust is also a major factor when it comes to getting traditional business owners to adapt. For generations, sari-sari store vendors have managed their businesses through physical cash handling and face-to-face credit arrangements. The shift to digital currency introduces an element of abstraction that many find unsettling. If they cannot see and count cash, how does a store owner know the transaction was successful?
Imelda, who has been operating a sari-sari store in Sta. Mesa, Manila, for over a decade, recalls her initial scepticism over the GCash app.
“I was so afraid of using GCash at first. What if the money disappears? What if someone hacks my phone? I did not have a sense of where the money actually goes when it’s not in my hands.”
“The worst is when a customer says they’ve already paid, but my phone has not received the confirmation message,” Imelda explains. “We both stand there waiting for a couple of minutes, sometimes longer.”
The QR code’s impact
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) introduction of QR Ph in 2019 provided a critical foundation for digital adoption in small-scale retail. These standardised quick-response codes offered a solution perfectly suited to the sari-sari store context. Unlike complex point-of-sale terminals requiring substantial investment, QR codes can be printed on ordinary paper and displayed at minimal cost.
The QR code, often found hanging from a string, taped to the store counter, or laminated to protect it against humidity, serves as a tangible representation of the digital payment channel. Store owners like Imelda would tap on it, and customers point their phones at it – both physically interacting with this gateway to complete the transaction.
For traditional business owners, this materiality matters. When money becomes invisible data flowing between phones, the printed QR code serves as a physical marker of the transaction point.
Digital transaction at ‘tingi’ scale
Perhaps the most culturally significant innovation is how digital payment platforms have adapted to accommodate the Filipinos’ “tingi” culture, or retail in small quantities.
Digital wallets, such as GCash and Maya, support micro-transactions of just a few pesos. A customer can transfer an exact amount without the inconvenience of carrying cash or breaking larger bills. By allowing transactions that match the scale of traditional tingi purchases, digital platforms have made the transition feel natural rather than disruptive.
“Before, bank apps wouldn’t let you transfer less than 50 pesos, and we don’t really use them. Now, my customers often send incredibly precise amounts – like 8 pesos or 16 pesos,” Imelda says.
The key to innovation? Meeting people where they are.
The popularity of e-wallets accelerated during the COVID-19 lockdowns, when remote transactions were necessary due to restricted physical movement. Digital services also cashed in on democratising financial access, requiring fewer documentary requirements during signup compared to traditional banks. This perfect storm of circumstances led many sari-sari store owners and their customers to enter the system after generations of cash-only transactions.
Recent data from tech startup Packworks reveals that around 75% of sari-sari stores now use e-wallets in their daily operations.
According to the survey, 40% of stores now use e-wallets for in-store payments, 30% for bill payments and another 30% for cash-in and cash-out transactions. Store owners attribute this growth directly to increasing consumer demand for cashless options.
Around 13% of business owners report that their e-wallet earnings now equal their revenue from physical goods. This new revenue stream has become so important that some stores maintain up to five e-wallet accounts with combined capacity reaching PHP 3.5 million (AUD 85,200) per month, with 30% planning to upgrade to business accounts for higher transaction limits.
This transition did not happen through technology alone. It worked because tech adapted to existing cultural practices and simplified registration processes that welcome rather than exclude new users.
Mastercard has announced the launch of Inclusion Hub, featuring 25 practical ways businesses can make their venues more welcoming for autistic people.
The hub is part of the company’s Inclusion Matters initiative, which was developed with Autism CRC, to rally businesses towards creating calmer, more welcoming spaces for people with autism and sensory differences.
In its recent announcement, Mastercard points out that most public spaces in Australia fail to accommodate the specific needs of autistic individuals, who make up one in 40 Australians.
Businesses can now sign up for access to the Inclusion Hub, where they can explore various practical improvements to their establishments, including implementing quiet hours and providing specialised employee training.
As part of the initiative, Mastercard is also introducing Sensory Notes, a new restaurant menu format that describes dishes in detailed sensory terms, from the appearance to the preparation.
Mastercard explains that to make Sensory Notes blend naturally into the dining experience, an icon appears alongside other dietary symbols, like Gluten Free and Vegan, subtly indicating that additional information about a dish is available.
The Sensory Notes concept was initially tested at the Australian Open earlier this year at Wonder Pies and Peach Melbourne venues, and continues to be used at The Mulberry Group’s Hazel Melbourne restaurant.
“We’re committed to making the Australian Open the benchmark of sporting inclusivity. By featuring Sensory Notes on our Accessible page, introducing QR signage at Wonder Pies and Peach Melbourne, and promoting them within the BallPark sensory room, we gave neurodiverse fans the tools they need to feel informed and supported throughout their AO experience,” said Kerry Tavrou, head of inclusion and diversity at Tennis Australia.
Mastercard says the initiative involves a collaboration with prominent chefs and Australians with autism to determine how Sensory Notes could function effectively.
“Through my experiences dining out with my son Valentino, I’ve come to understand just how complex and overwhelming restaurant experiences can be for autistic individuals and their caregivers. Dining should be a moment of joy, comfort, and connection, yet uncertainty around food often creates unnecessary barriers. Sensory Notes offers clarity and confidence so everyone can enjoy what should be a simple pleasure of sharing a meal together,” said Jean-Christophe Noveli, MasterChef Australia judge and leading culinary chef who contributed to the initiative’s development.
“Our role is to listen to and learn from the autistic community, working together through research and co-design. We have focused on what truly matters to them and hope these new innovations are beneficial and can continue to be refined with community feedback,” said Dr Olivia Gatfield, Autism CRC’s research and community engagement manager.
Social media platforms are playing an increasingly central role in how Australians access news and how publishers reach audiences, according to new research that highlights the growing importance of social channels in news advertising strategies.
Findings from the Digital News Report: Australia 2025, released by the University of Canberra’s News and Media Research Centre, show that platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube are reshaping news consumption patterns, particularly among younger Australians.
The report found that Instagram and TikTok are now leading sources of news for younger audiences, with 40 per cent of respondents using Instagram for news and 36 per cent turning to TikTok.
The research points to a continued shift away from traditional news websites as primary entry points, with social platforms increasingly acting as gateways to news content. This change has significant implications for advertisers and news organisations, as audience attention becomes more fragmented and platform-driven.
According to the report, social media is no longer simply a referral channel but is becoming embedded in the distribution strategies of many media outlets.
News organisations are increasingly publishing native content directly on social platforms to maintain visibility and engagement, adapting formats to suit short-form video, vertical feeds and algorithm-driven discovery.
This shift is also influencing how news advertising is delivered. Rather than relying solely on display advertising on owned websites, publishers are experimenting with branded content, video advertising and platform-specific partnerships designed to align with social media consumption habits.
Advertisers, in turn, are following audiences onto these platforms, seeking environments where news content intersects with high levels of engagement.
The report suggests that best practices for news brands advertising on social media include tailoring content to platform-specific formats, prioritising video and mobile-first storytelling, and maintaining editorial credibility while adapting to informal and fast-moving feeds.
Transparency and clear labelling of sponsored content are also identified as important factors in maintaining trust among audiences.
Researchers note that while social platforms offer expanded reach, they also present challenges, including reduced control over distribution, reliance on algorithms and increased competition for attention.
As a result, publishers face ongoing decisions about how to balance platform dependence with sustainable revenue models.
The findings underscore a broader transformation in Australia’s digital media landscape, where social platforms are becoming integral to both news consumption and advertising.
As audience behaviours continue to evolve, the report indicates that the role of social media in news advertising is likely to expand further, requiring continued adaptation by publishers and advertisers alike.
Digital platforms claim to offer more transparency than ever through public ad libraries and political-ad reports. However, new Australian research suggests these tools provide only a narrow glimpse of the advertising users actually receive – and fail to show how platforms algorithmically “tune” ads in real time.
A 2024 studyby researchers from Monash University and the Australian Ad Observatory argues that modern ad delivery is no longer just about targeting specific demographics. Instead, platforms now shape sequences of ads as users scroll, using real-time behavioural signals to continuously adjust what appears on screen.
The researchers call this process “tuned advertising”, and their data shows it is already widespread across major social media platforms.
Advertising becomes a dynamic “flow”
According to the study, tuned advertising relies on constant optimisation. Algorithms decide not only which ads to show, but when, how often, and in what order. Delivery shifts based on everything from a user’s scrolling speed to their recent clicks.
This means people don’t simply receive isolated ads – they experience personalised streams of ads over time.
To investigate that stream, the research team worked with more than 1,900 volunteer participants. Through a data-donation browser plug-in, the project collected 737,418 ad impressions, representing 328,107 unique ads across platforms.
By analysing these impressions, the team reconstructed “tuned sequences” – the evolving series of ads a user sees as they move through a platform. Rather than random placements, the sequences often reflected algorithmic adjustments based on immediate behaviour.
Researchers say this dynamic structure is largely invisible to the public.
Why ad libraries don’t capture tuned advertising
Major platforms promote their transparency tools as evidence of accountability. Meta and Google both maintain public ad libraries that list political ads, and in some cases commercial ads, along with limited spending or demographic information.
But the Australian researchers found that these libraries fall short in several key ways:
• Ads disappear quickly. Many tools only list ads while they are running. Once the campaign ends, the ad – and its metadata – vanish.
• Key delivery data is missing. Most libraries do not reveal how many people saw an ad, how often it was displayed, or how delivery changed over time.
• Libraries show isolated ads. The tools treat ads as static creative assets. They do not reveal how an ad fits into a longer sequence of related messages delivered to a user.
• Searchability is limited. Unless a researcher knows the exact advertiser name, some ads are nearly impossible to find.
Researchers argue that without information about ad exposure, not just ad content, it is impossible to understand how platform algorithms shape advertising at scale.
The case for “Ad Observatories”
To fill the gaps, the researchers propose new forms of independent oversight – what they call “ad observatories.” These would combine browser-based data donations, voluntary user participation, and academic analysis to track ads as they actually appear on screens.
The Australian Ad Observatorytrial shows what this model can uncover. By capturing ads directly from participants’ feeds, researchers were able to map not only what ads appeared, but in what order and under what conditions.
They argue this approach provides a more accurate representation of how platforms distribute ads – especially from industries such as gambling, alcohol, and political campaigns, where delivery patterns can raise social concerns.
Regulatory stakes are rising
The findings come as governments around the world debate tougher requirements for platform transparency. Many current proposals focus on expanding ad libraries or strengthening political-ad disclosures.
But researchers warn that these measures still rely on outdated assumptions about how digital advertising works.
“Tuned advertising doesn’t show up in a library,” the study notes. “It happens in the flow of use — the part we can’t currently see.”
Without new forms of observability, regulators may be relying on partial or misleading information when assessing issues such as political messaging, harmful-product advertising, targeted misinformation, and algorithmic bias.
A hidden source of power
The study highlights a growing concern in digital-policy circles: that platform advertising has become both more personalised and more opaque.
When algorithms determine which users see which messages — and how often — platforms gain influence over attention, behaviour, and public discourse. And because tuned advertising operates through behavioural signals, not explicit demographic targeting, the effects can be unevenly distributed across different groups.
For researchers, journalists, and policymakers, the absence of durable delivery data makes it difficult to analyse these patterns or assess potential harms.
Experts say meaningful accountability will require platforms to provide:
Durable, public ad archives that store ads long after campaigns end
Delivery metadata, including reach, frequency, audience characteristics, and time-based delivery patterns
Tools that show ad sequences, not only standalone creatives
Independent auditing access, allowing researchers to examine how algorithms make delivery decisions
Some of these measures would require legislative mandates, while others could be implemented voluntarily. So far, platforms have offered only incremental changes.
A transparency gap that’s only getting bigger
As digital platforms become central to political communication, marketing, and public life, tuned advertising raises new questions about visibility and power.
The Australian study indicates that while platforms promote their transparency tools, the most influential aspects of ad delivery remain out of sight.
For now, researchers say, the public can see what ads exist – but not how they are used. And without access to that delivery data, it remains difficult to answer a simple question:
A new report released by ResearchAndMarkets.com forecasts continued expansion in Australia’s digital advertising market, driven by growth in retail media, connected television and increased use of automation and artificial intelligence, while noting rising regulatory and compliance pressures.
According to the report, Australia’s digital ad spend market is expected to grow by 12.7% year-on-year to reach US$16.88 billion in 2026, following a compound annual growth rate of 10.7% between 2020 and 2025.
Growth is forecast to accelerate further from 2026 to 2029, with spending projected to rise to about US$25.38 billion by the end of the period, representing a CAGR of 14.6%.
The analysis describes the market as entering a phase of structural change, shaped by tighter regulation, expanding retail media networks and evolving platform capabilities.
While global technology companies continue to account for a large share of spending, the report notes that local retailers, broadcasters and marketing technology providers are strengthening their position by offering data-driven and accountable advertising environments.
Global platforms including Google, Meta, Amazon and YouTube are identified as continuing to anchor much of Australia’s digital ad spend, particularly in search, social and video formats.
However, the report highlights increasing scrutiny linked to the review of Australia’s Privacy Act and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s digital platform inquiries, which are prompting adjustments to data use and consent practices.
Retail media is identified as a key growth area, with networks operated by Woolworths Group and Coles becoming more central to omnichannel campaigns, particularly for fast-moving consumer goods and electronics advertisers. The shift is attributed to demand for first-party data and measurable outcomes as third-party cookies are phased out.
The report also points to growing investment in connected TV and broadcaster video-on-demand services, including platforms operated by Nine, Seven West Media, Paramount and Foxtel, as advertisers follow audiences shifting away from linear television.
While these environments are positioned as premium and brand-safe, the report notes ongoing challenges around measurement and frequency control.
Across the market, advertisers are increasingly prioritising privacy-compliant targeting, first-party data strategies and AI-enabled campaign execution. Sustainability considerations are also beginning to feature more prominently in media planning, although the report characterises this as an emerging rather than fully mature trend.
Overall, ResearchAndMarkets.com concludes that competition in Australia’s digital advertising market is likely to intensify over the next several years, with success increasingly linked to integrated offerings, regulatory alignment and transparent measurement as expectations for accountability continue to rise.
One of sponsors at the Australian Open 2026. Image supplied by Digital Media News.
As the Australian Open (AO) draws to a close for another year, the tournament has once again attracted the world’s greatest tennis players to Melbourne – while reinforcing its position as a major global commercial platform that extends far beyond sport.
Today, the Australian Open is a global commercial platform where major brands compete for visibility, audience engagement, and strategic partnerships across physical experiences, digital touchpoints, and data-driven campaigns.
From tournament to business platform
Over the years, the Australian Open has continued to evolve from a traditional sporting event into a technology-enabled media and sponsorship ecosystem – and the financials reflect that shift. The tournament operated as a multi-layered commercial platform that continues to attract a growing mix of brands each year, from beverages to premium fashion to automotive partners, underscoring the Australian Open’s expanding commercial appeal.
That commercial impact extends beyond Tennis Australia and its partners into the broader Melbourne economy. Analysis from National Australia Bank (NAB) forecast the 2026 Australian Open would inject more than AUD 600 million into the city’s economy, driven by visitor spending across hospitality, retail and accommodation. NAB merchant terminal data from the 2025 tournament highlighted the scale of that effect, with accommodation turnover surging 90 per cent in Richmond and more than 50 per cent in South Yarra during the first two weeks of the event, alongside strong increases in restaurant and retail spending.
NAB Executive Business Metro & Specialised Julie Rynski said the Australian Open had evolved well beyond world-class tennis. “The Australian Open has truly become the ‘Happy Slam’ and is no longer just purely a tennis tournament – it’s a full-blown summer festival,” she said, pointing to expanded entertainment programming, live music, family-friendly precincts and food and beverage activations as key drivers of broader audience appeal.
The economics of sponsorship: Who’s there and why
Sponsorship at the Australian Open involved long-term partnerships across a range of sectors, including automotive, financial services, consumer tech, and lifestyle. In 2025, Kia Motors was reportedto have held the highest-value deal among the tournament’s 35 sponsors.
Other brands, including Red Bull, M&M’s, Waterdrop, EZZ Life Science, Grey Goose, and Pirelli, either joined or expanded their sponsorships that year. Luxury brands such as Rolex received the most online sponsor mentions during the tournament.
According to the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI), Ralph Lauren’s partnership achieved a 96.3 per cent share of voice in brand mentions, supported by pop culture crossovers, including collaborations with K-pop artists.
AMI noted that Nike’s sponsorships linked to major players during the tournament also contributed to increased brand visibility among key audiences. In particular, Nike’s sponsorship of Carlos Alcaraz – who captured the 2026 Australian Open men’s singles title and completed a career Grand Slam at just 22 years old – was highlightedthrough post-match brand activations after the final.
Nike released a dedicated tribute video celebrating Alcaraz’s achievement, emphasising his rise from world No. 1 to a seven-major champion and leveraging that narrative across social media and digital channels to extend audience engagement beyond the matches themselves.
In 2025, Lacoste also launcheda limited‑edition “From a Crocodile to the GOAT” capsule collection tied to Novak Djokovic’s ongoing legacy in tennis, symbolically transforming its iconic crocodile logo into a GOAT motif to honour his status as one of the sport’s greatest players.
At the 2026 Australian Open, Lacoste’s activation continued through on‑court visibility of its sponsored players’ apparel – including Djokovic’s kit – and through social channels and fashion coverage highlighting player looks and performance‑driven design.
Industry reporting suggested that sponsorship revenue growth has accelerated in recent years. According to B&T, the Australian Open was on track to double its sponsorship income over a five-year period, with close to 50 official partners involved in the current tournament cycle. New partners cited include Nexo, Bupa, Realestate.com.au, Altos, A2 Milk, YoPRO, DiDi and Lipton, alongside new regional partners such as Stella Artois in South America, Tsingtao in China and De Cecco in Europe (B&T). Several existing partners, including ANZ, Red Bull, Chemist Warehouse and Luckin Coffee, have also expanded or renewed their agreements with Tennis Australia.
Appliance and smart home brands also used the Australian Open as a platform for long-term brand positioning. In late 2024, Haier announcedit had been named the official TV and appliance partner of the Australian Open and Summer of Tennis events for the 2025-2027 period. During the 2026 tournament, Haier showcased its smart home technologies through on-site and digital fan experiences, integrating connected kitchen, laundry, and climate systems into the tournament environment.
Haier Senior Vice President and Chairman and CEO of Haier Smart Home Li Huagang said the partnership aligned with the company’s global expansion strategy and focus on innovation, noting the Australian Open’s status as one of the world’s premier sporting events.
Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said the partnership would introduce new technology-driven experiences for fans while reinforcing the tournament’s focus on innovation and quality. “This collaboration will not only elevate the fan experience but also introduce cutting-edge technology that adds a fresh and dynamic dimension to the summer of tennis,” Tiley stated. Haier is also supporting grassroots tennis clubs across Australia as part of the agreement.
Extending brand presence beyond live attendance
Australian Open sponsors increasingly extended their presence beyond the stadium through branded content, immersive experiences, and out-of-home advertising. Media companies and outdoor networks provided additional channels to expand audience reach.
For example,oOh!media’s partnership with Tennis Australia supported brand visibility through live score and highlights screens, as well as advertising across airports, streets, metro networks, and retail environments, with tailored campaign placements for partners including Jacob’s Creek, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Adobe, and Airtasker. These formats allowed brands to engage audiences across Australia beyond live attendance and broadcast viewership.
The growth of the tournament’s footprint was also linked to changes in scheduling and event structure. Reporting by Yahoo Sportsnoted that the introduction and expanded promotion of the Australian Open’s expanded “Opening Week” has driven record early attendance, with more than 29,000 fans attending the first day of qualifying, well above previous levels.
Broadcast partnerships and media rights
Broadcast partnerships and media rights continued to play a central role in the Australian Open’s commercial profile. While digital subscription figures were generally reported by broadcasters rather than tournament organisers, post-event data indicate strong media engagement.
According to thePost Event Analysis – Australian Open 2025report by ResearchAndMarkets.com, in 2025, the men’s singles final attracted 4.2 million viewers in Australia and an estimated 35 million viewers in Italy, highlighting the scale of global exposure available to sponsors. Domestic media revenue from broadcast rights for the tournament was estimated at USD 55.16 million.
While official global broadcast reports for 2026 are still forthcoming, available post-event data indicate that the tournament delivered significant audience growth on domestic television and streaming platforms, underscoring the scale of exposure available to sponsors.
Nine Network’s exclusive coverageof the 2026 Australian Open reached over 14.31 million Australians across the two-week broadcast – a year-on-year increase of about 9.3 per cent. The men’s singles final, featuring Carlos Alcaraz’s victory over Novak Djokovic, drew a Total TV Reach of approximately 6.302 million viewers and a National Total TV audience of 3.448 million, up around 67 per cent on the previous year, while streaming audiences reached 905,000 — the highest-ever for an Australian Open men’s final session on BVOD.
Data also showed that the women’s singles final reached 3.816 million viewers nationally, with an average audience of 2.135 million, representing an increase of around 30 per cent year-on-year, alongside 500,000 streaming viewers.
This level of international broadcast reach positioned the Australian Open as a platform not only for on-site sponsorship but also for integrated brand campaigns across television, streaming services, and broadcast-related advertising.
The extended tournament format also contributed to revenue growth.According to The Guardian, Tennis Australia’s annual revenue had increased by more than USD 500 million since the event expanded to a 21-day schedule, incorporating Opening Week, live concerts, exhibitions and fan attractions.
Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said the strategy was designed to “own January” by blending sport, entertainment and community engagement across three weeks.
UX, digital platforms, and fan engagement
Beyond physical stadium activation, the Australian Open’s digital platforms – including its website, mobile scoring apps, and streaming tools – served as primary engagement channels for fans worldwide.
While official design metrics weren’t routinely published, Tennis Australia highlighted an emphasis on digital innovation through longstanding tech partnerships.
Notably, Infosys, the AO’s official digital innovation partner, powered advanced match analytics, AI-driven engagement tools, and enhanced digital experiences that benefit fans, partners, and broadcasters alike.
That technology roadmap expanded further at the 2026 tournament. Infosys and Tennis Australia announceda suite of AI-first innovations for AO 2026, powered by Infosys Topaz™, aimed at enhancing fan engagement, accessibility and on-court insight. New experiences included “MatchFeel,” a pilot tactile court system that allows blind and visually impaired fans to follow live matches through haptic feedback, and “Rally,” a generative AI-powered humanoid mascot designed to interact with fans at the Infosys Fan Zone.
Additional AI-driven features included “Keys to the Match,” which distilled complex player data into three simple pre-match insights, as well as enhancements to the Infosys Match Centre, AI-generated highlight videos and advanced analytics for players and coaches. Infosys said these initiatives demonstrated AI at scale while making the tournament more inclusive and immersive.
These capabilities reflected how the tournament leveraged technology and UX design not just for convenience, but as part of its commercial strategy.
Global brand strategy and market expansion
The Australian Open’s commercial appeal was also linked to its global positioning, particularly within the Asia-Pacific market. According to industry analysispublished by Notice Sports, several international brands, including companies based in China, used the tournament as an entry point into new markets, supported by cross-regional exposure and localised digital campaigns.
Notice Sports cited examples such as Luzhou Laojiao, which signed a multi-year agreement as the Australian Open’s official baijiu partner to strengthen its brand presence across Asia, and Luckin Coffee, which became an official coffee partner and used virtual signage during the tournament to target audiences in China and Southeast Asia.
These cases, as reported, indicated that the Australian Open functions not only as a national sporting event but also as a platform for multi-market brand expansion strategies.
Overall, the Australian Open demonstrated how a major sporting event operated as an integrated commercial ecosystem, where sponsorship, media, and digital platforms converge to extend brand reach.
Its structure and strategies reflected the evolving interplay between sport, technology, and marketing in creating measurable value for both organisers, partners and the wider host city economy.
Manufacturing has been placed at the centre of Queensland’s economic agenda, with the state government releasing a five-year plan to strengthen local industries, lift productivity and expand exports.
The plan identifies innovation, stronger supply chains, workforce development and export growth as key priorities, while committing new funding to industry support programs.
According to the Queensland Government, manufacturing contributes around $29 billion annually to the state’s economy and supports nearly 175,000 jobs, almost half of which are located outside Greater Brisbane.
The strategy includes $79.1 million in new grants over three years to help manufacturers adopt advanced technologies, and $10 million for expanded Manufacturing Hubs in Toowoomba and the Sunshine Coast.
The government noted these measures build on existing programs such as the $180.6 million Sovereign Industry Development Fund, which supports defence, biomedical and biofuels industries.
In a statement, Minister for Manufacturing Dale Last said the strategy was designed to sharpen Queensland’s competitive edge at a time of global uncertainty and rapid technological change.
“The strategy is our roadmap to making Queensland the most attractive place in the nation for businesses to invest, build and grow,” he said.
The government said the plan was developed in consultation with the Queensland Manufacturing Advisory Council and aims to address challenges such as supply chain risks, energy costs, skills shortages and the integration of artificial intelligence.
It noted that it also positions the state to take advantage of emerging opportunities in critical minerals, medical technology, modern construction methods and defence manufacturing.
According to the Queensland government, the strategy emphasises the role of manufacturing in regional growth, noting its close links to mining, agriculture and energy industries.
It also highlights opportunities for local firms to benefit from major projects, including preparations for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The government noted industry performance will be monitored through annual reporting, with progress to be assessed in partnership with the Queensland Manufacturing Advisory Council.
