Airtasker Locks in $5M Nine Entertainment Deal to Reach Millions of Australians
Airtasker locks in $5 million Nine Entertainment deal to boost brand reach
Airtasker has secured a strategic media partnership with Nine Entertainment worth $5.0 million in advertising services over two years, giving the online marketplace access to one of Australia’s most extensive media ecosystems. The Airtasker Nine Entertainment media partnership delivers cross-platform inventory spanning free-to-air television, the 9Now streaming platform, and Nine’s portfolio of digital and publishing brands.
Nine’s network includes flagship programming such as Nine News, 60 Minutes, Married at First Sight, The Block, and major live sports broadcasts including the Olympics, Australian Open, State of Origin and the NRL Premiership series. The partnership extends Airtasker’s existing media-for-equity strategy, which already includes arrangements with oOh!media and ARN.
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How media-for-equity partnerships work
Media-for-equity structures allow companies to receive advertising services in exchange for equity or convertible instruments rather than paying cash upfront. This model has become increasingly popular among growth-stage businesses seeking to build brand awareness without depleting cash reserves.
For marketplace businesses like (ASX: ART), where transaction volume is directly influenced by brand recognition, these arrangements provide a capital-efficient path to scale advertising investment. Airtasker’s existing partnerships with oOh!media and ARN follow the same framework, allowing the company to access premium advertising inventory while preserving operational cash flow.
Partnership terms and financial structure
The deal is structured as a $5.0 million convertible note with a 4.9% coupon payable at maturity. The note matures on 1 July 2028, at which point Airtasker has the option (subject to shareholder approval) to convert the outstanding note plus accrued interest into ordinary shares at a 10% discount to the 30-trading day volume-weighted average share price, or repay in cash.
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Media Value | $5.0 million |
| Duration | 2 years |
| Instrument | Convertible note |
| Coupon | 4.9% (payable at maturity) |
| Maturity | 1 July 2028 |
| Conversion Option | 10% discount to 30-trading day VWAP |
This structure provides flexibility at maturity. If Airtasker’s share price has appreciated meaningfully by mid-2028, issuing shares at a discounted price may represent better value than cash repayment. Conversely, if market conditions are unfavourable, the company retains the option to settle the note in cash while preserving its equity structure.
Brand investment already delivering measurable returns
Airtasker’s media partnership strategy is generating quantifiable marketplace outcomes. Brand salience (unprompted awareness) increased 32.1% year-on-year in HY26, according to YouGov Brand Tracker data comparing December 2025 to December 2024.
The company’s above-the-line brand marketing delivered approximately $4.85 in gross marketplace volume for every $1.00 invested in HY26, representing an incremental direct ROI of 1.08x based on Mutinex GrowthOS attribution data.
Key performance metrics from HY26:
- Brand salience: +32.1% year-on-year
- GMV return: ~$4.85 per $1.00 invested
- Incremental direct ROI: 1.08x
These results demonstrate that Airtasker’s capital-efficient brand investment approach is translating into measurable marketplace growth, providing evidence that expanding this strategy through the Airtasker Nine Entertainment media partnership should deliver similar or enhanced outcomes.
Australian marketplace momentum continues
The brand investment is correlating with underlying marketplace performance. Airtasker Australia reported three key metrics for HY26:
- Revenue: $23.1 million (+12.9% on prior comparative period)
- Marketplace GMV: $103.5 million (record result, +6.4% on pcp)
- Monetisation rate: 22.3% (+1.3 percentage points on pcp)
Management stated the company remains on track to deliver double-digit revenue growth for FY26. The improving monetisation rate indicates Airtasker is capturing more value per transaction as brand awareness strengthens, validating the strategic rationale for continuing to invest in media partnerships.
Management commentary
CEO Tim Fung emphasised the capital efficiency of the arrangement and its alignment with the company’s long-term positioning:
Tim Fung, Airtasker CEO
“This partnership allows us to access unique media benefits and invest in our brand in the most capital efficient way.”
Fung also noted that artificial intelligence is set to accelerate the shift in human labour from office-based roles toward local trades and skilled craft work, with Airtasker positioned to capitalise on this trend as the number one marketplace for local services in Australia.
Nine’s Chief Digital Officer Alex Parsons said: “Nine is proud to announce a strategic partnership with Airtasker, a standout Australian innovation success story. By leveraging Nine’s premier, integrated media ecosystem, Airtasker will gain unparalleled access to Australian audiences across every screen.”
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Strategic positioning in the AI era
Management’s forward-looking thesis centres on AI accelerating demand for local trades and skilled services as automation reshapes white-collar work. If this materialises, Airtasker’s current brand investment positions the company to capture that growth without requiring additional cash outlay.
The partnership with Nine extends the runway for this strategy, providing two years of premium media inventory across television, streaming and digital platforms that reach millions of Australians daily. For a marketplace business where network effects amplify brand visibility, securing sustained access to Nine’s ecosystem at a fixed cost represents a material strategic advantage.
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