The 2025 Australian federal election saw unprecedented campaign spending, with political parties collectively pouring over $71 million into TV, BVOD (Broadcast Video on Demand), and YouTube advertising.
Labor’s hyper-targeted strategy, focusing on front-loaded messaging and seat-level precision, proved more effective than sheer volume, securing victory despite being outspent by Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots party, which invested up to $60 million but failed to win a single seat.
Traditional television remained dominant, accounting for over $54 million of total ad spend, while digital platforms like YouTube, Meta (Facebook/Instagram), and TikTok saw significant activity.
The Coalition struggled to match Labor’s digital agility, with early reports indicating it was outspent 80-1 online early in the campaign.
Independent candidates and advocacy groups like Advance Australia also invested heavily, particularly in contested seats such as Bennelong and Curtin. Peter Dutton’s historic loss of his own seat underscored the high stakes of misaligned ad strategies.
In Non-Mainstream Media
Context & Background
The 2025 election marked a shift from traditional mass-media blitzes to data-driven microtargeting, with parties leveraging real-time analytics to adjust messaging. Labor’s early ad saturation in marginal seats capitalized on declining voter attention spans, while Clive Palmer’s Trump-inspired “Make Australia Great Again” campaign mirrored failed U.S.-style populism. Current electoral laws exempt political SMS spam from spam regulations, enabling Palmer’s controversial 17-million-text blitz despite public backlash. The result reaffirmed television’s dominance in Australian politics, while underscoring the risks of over-reliance on digital outreach without localized relevance.
In This Story
Australian Labor Party
Returned to power by focusing on geotargeted TV and digital ads, emphasizing healthcare and cost-of-living policies. Official website: alp.org.au
Liberal Party of Australia
Outspent digitally but invested heavily in defensive seat campaigns like Bennelong. Suffered historic losses, including Peter Dutton’s seat. Official website: liberal.org.au
Trumpet of Patriots
Clive Palmer’s populist party spent ~$60 million on ads and texts but secured just 1.85% of the national vote. No official social media presence remains active post-election.
- Party website (defunct as of May 2025)
Advance Australia
Conservative advocacy group spent $186,000+ attacking teal independents and green policies. Official website: advanceaustralia.org.au
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