The new political playbook

With the 2025 Federal Election approaching, politics is shifting into more personal, on-demand spaces. The U.S. election demonstrated how podcasts and social media foster deeper, more authentic engagement between candidates and voters—particularly younger generations, who now turn to these platforms over traditional news for political content.

This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for brands: how to stay visible during election season without being drawn into political debates.

For the first time, Gen Z and Millennials will outnumber Baby Boomers at the polls, making up 47% of the electorate. To win their trust, political candidates must engage them on their terms—through authentic, community-driven conversations.

This shift is visible with 46% of Australians aged 18–24 now citing social media as their primary news source (up from 28% in 2022) and 31% listening to podcasts for news and current affairs, making it the third most popular podcast genre in Australia.

Mamamia’s audience not only reflects this trend but exceeds it with 82% of our audience discovering political news, information and opinions online through social media and 42% in podcasts.

WATCH HERE: @maximstella

We’ve seen an increased interest in overall political conversations among our audience with 86% saying they are interested in Australian federal politics, and 37% have grown more engaged with global politics over the past year. When Mamamia’s No Filter featured interviews with Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton, social content around the episodes reached 278,000 people on Instagram in just five days.

WATCH HERE: @abbiechatfield

The 2024 U.S. election was dubbed the "podcast election" after major candidates strategically appeared on influential platforms like Call Her Daddy and The Joe Rogan Experience. Research shows this strategy wasn’t just symbolic—Trump’s podcast appearances increased his support by up to 2.6%, directly impacting his election outcome.

Australia is heading in the same direction. Podcasts and algorithm-driven social media are now key political battlegrounds. The Infinite Dial Australia 2024 report found that 48% of Australians aged 12+ listen to podcasts monthly, surpassing the U.S. for the first time. Candidates are taking note—expect an influx of political messaging on these platforms as they seek to engage hard-to-reach voters.

Election season has traditionally seen brands pull back from advertising - either due to soaring political ad rates or concerns about perceived political alignment. But in bipartisan environments like Mamamia, this hesitation is no longer necessary. Rather than amplifying one side, Mamamia breaks the echo chamber - offering a trusted, balanced space for informed conversations that brands can confidently be part of.

For brands, this presents a key opportunity. While political advertisers drive heightened attention and engagement to Mamamia, brands can maintain strong, uninterrupted cut-through during peak ad competition. Over the past six months, our political coverage has spanned The Quicky, Mamamia Out Loud, and Cancelled. Most recently, Kate Langbroek interviewed both Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton on No Filter, further cementing Mamamia as a key destination for political content.

If your brand is looking to stay relevant during election season - without the risks of political alignment - Mamamia offers an unmatched opportunity to connect with Australian women in a way that feels natural and impactful.