Hamish Blake was voted the most popular Australian broadcast media talent in a new global top talent index that measures the influence of celebrities.

Popular offsider Andy Lee wasn’t far behind Blake in the Australian broadcasting media talent list, coming in fourth. 

The 2022 Top Talent Report includes the top Australian broadcasting talent list and the overall Australian talent list. 

Hugh Jackman topped the Australians in the overall talent list, which Blake also featured in, at sixth. 

The Top Talent Report was commissioned by media and marketing agency Talent Corp, with Lewers Research and details the latest findings of the Australian Talent Index. 

The Index, a first of its kind in Australia, is a talent measurement system that captures consumer’s awareness of and attitudes towards a range of Australian talent, including celebrities, actors, broadcasters, sports stars, and politicians. 

The nationally representative survey included more than 5,000 Australians who rated 300+ personalities and provided comments on how they felt about a personality.

The Australian Talent Index is calculated by subtracting the proportion of people who disliked a personality from those who liked or loved them, giving each a score ranging from -100 (universally disliked) to +100 (universally liked).

Talent Corp Managing Director, Mark Noakes, said: “When an audience trusts a celebrity, this acts as a shortcut for consumer decision making. This is the power of ambassador marketing. 

“The ability of a trusted or popular celebrity to deliver return on investment for a brand is well established. A way to match that presenter with a brand, much less so. The Australian Talent Index seeks to change that by providing the industry with a first of its kind, up-to-date and accurate picture on media, entertainment and sports talent. It really is a valuable way for brands and agencies to match, rank and compare talent for campaigns and ambassador roles.”

Celebrity endorsement is big business, with brands investing millions in associating with a well-known personality with their brand.

Hamish Blake and his wife Zoe Foster-Blake recently partnered with Tourism Australia and its own campaign testing found that 74% of respondents recognised the brand by the end of the campaign, with the highest point of brand recognition being with Hamish and Zoe.