Series synopsis
Gruen is an Australian talk comedy television series that premiered on ABC TV on September 9, 2015. It was created by Jon Casimir, Andrew Denton. It stars Wil Anderson, Russel Howcroft and Todd Sampson.
Join host Wil Anderson, stalwarts Todd Sampson and Russel Howcroft and other advertising industry experts to unpick the ways we're all bought and sold.
Premise
Join host Wil Anderson, stalwarts Todd Sampson and Russel Howcroft and other advertising industry experts to unpick the ways we're all bought and sold.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Wil Anderson as Self - Host
- Russel Howcroft as Self - Panellist
- Todd Sampson as Self - Panellist
Episodes
This series spans 12 seasons with 119 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 10 | September 9, 2015 | November 11, 2015 |
| Season 2 | 10 | August 3, 2016 | October 5, 2016 |
| Season 3 | 10 | September 13, 2017 | November 15, 2017 |
| Season 10 | 10 | May 2, 2018 | July 4, 2018 |
| Season 11 | 10 | September 25, 2019 | November 27, 2019 |
| Season 12 | 10 | October 14, 2020 | December 16, 2020 |
| Season 13 | 10 | October 13, 2021 | December 15, 2021 |
| Season 14 | 8 | June 8, 2022 | July 27, 2022 |
| Season 15 | 9 | June 21, 2023 | August 16, 2023 |
| Season 16 | 10 | May 15, 2024 | July 17, 2024 |
| Season 17 | 10 | May 14, 2025 | July 16, 2025 |
| Season 18 | 12 | April 29, 2026 | July 15, 2026 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Pet Food How do you sell a product like pet food, when humans never eat it? The Pitch returns & we look for the Best Local Ad of All Time. |
September 9, 2015 |
| 2 |
Uber & Ashley Madison This week the panel looks at the rise of one brand, & the fall of another; controversial car-sharing app Uber; & cheating website Ashley Madison. Can an ad agency convince us we need a home grown royal family? |
September 16, 2015 |
| 3 |
Aldi Brands love to be loved, but the far stranger phenomenon is when people really love brands. Enter Aldi. How does an airline advertise? Can two agencies convince us that the great Australian dream is NOT owning a home? |
September 23, 2015 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Coffee & Telstra Gruen returns to lift the lid on coffee ads, Telstra's outage crisis & new campaign. We talk hashtag crimes & head to Canada for new segment What Would Justin Do? The Pitch tries to convince US citizens to hand in their guns. |
August 3, 2016 |
| 2 |
Olympic Sponsorship Wil, Russel, Todd and the panel will determine who gets marketing gold. We'll talk mascots, the census & why the US Lotto is advertised in Australia. The Pitch will try to sell Tasmania to China. |
August 10, 2016 |
| 3 |
Census Fail & Organ Donation We pick over the bones of the Census Fail; why there hasn't been an Australian organ donation ad in a year; the clich's & repetition in Olympic ads; the Pitch to convince us that Bronze medals are better than Gold. |
August 17, 2016 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
NBN & Hipsters Gruen returns to ask: How do you sell the NBN, why big companies are bashing hipsters and the weird advertising trend of rapid ageing. A Pitch to convince North Korea to aim somewhere else and Ads You Couldn't Make in 2017. |
September 13, 2017 |
| 2 |
Online Dating & Apple Watch How to sell online dating when the product is you. A new Apple Watch campaign which is a matter of life & death. The Pitch smashes brand avocado & a look at who we were & how far we've come in Ads You Couldn't Make in 2017. |
September 20, 2017 |
| 3 |
Same-sex Postal Survey & Racism How brands are hijacking the same-sex postal vote. Ads that attempt to fix racism using comedy. Plus a Pitch for a one house policy, the science of marketing and more ads you couldn't make in 2017. |
September 27, 2017 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 How are the big banks selling themselves during the royal commission? Will Coke No Sugar reverse sliding soft drink sales? Ads that murder our favourite songs, and a Pitch to make Australia the USA's 51st State. |
May 2, 2018 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 Wil Anderson, Russel Howcroft and Todd Sampson analyse Facebook's new ad campaign, a company in crisis and the evolution of Brand Zuckerberg. Plus selling Australia to the USA and a pitch to shut down the internet. |
May 9, 2018 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Gruen looks at the changing face of pharmacies - how the humble chemist became a $16 billion industry? Why are so many celebrities flogging fragrances? A Pitch to boycott the Royal Wedding; David Warner's redemption tour. |
May 16, 2018 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 Gruen takes a deep dive into supermarket collectables, Google's new campaign and a Pitch persuading meat eaters to go vegan and vegans to eat meat. Joining Wil, Todd and Russel are Dee Madigan and Karen Ferry. |
September 25, 2019 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 The Gruen team look at the advertising aftermath of the royal commission: how the big, small and online financial institutions are banking on an image change. Plus KFC's very quiet re-rebrand and the Pitch tackles over 65s. |
October 2, 2019 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Wil and the team look at the Spring Racing advertising offensive, the department store death rattle and Big Vitamin. Plus a Pitch to convince Christians to become atheists and atheists to believe in God. |
October 9, 2019 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 Gruen is back and putting Coronavirus messaging to the test without shoving a swab up your nose. And why is TikTok advertising on the telly? Also, what's TikTok? Plus a pitch to either love or ditch the office. |
October 14, 2020 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 How a pandemic fell into soap's hands, brands giving thanks and can a bushfire campaign go too far? Plus the Pitch saves journalism, unless that's fake news. Joining Wil, Todd and Russel is Christina Aventi and Emily Taylor. |
October 21, 2020 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 We find out what's on in the Bunnings Warehouse and put the boot into RM Williams. Plus a musical pitch dedicated to our frontline workers. Joining Wil, Todd and Russel are Carolyn Miller and Priya Patel. |
October 28, 2020 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 We return with a jab at the vaccine rollout. The Pitch gets a shot in the arm, and The Simpsons are on the catwalk for Balenciaga - as if they need the D'oh. Wil is joined by Todd, Russel, Dee Madigan and Sunita Gloster. |
October 13, 2021 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 We unbox the world of online delivery and unravel the breakfast of your nightmares. Our pitch agencies take on the challenge of homeschooling. Wil, Todd, and Russel are joined by Christina Aventi and Karen Ferry. |
October 20, 2021 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 We're paying out online gambling. Plus the Pitch makes an each-way bet on abolishing the states. And when did fresh ads for fresh breath get so extra? Wil, Todd and Russel are joined by Carolyn Miller and Dee Madigan. |
October 27, 2021 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 Gruen is back for a brand new season. Will Top Gun 2 put military recruitment in cruise control? How does ASIO sell the spy life? And sex toys have a new vibe. Wil, Todd and Russel are joined by Dee Madigan and Karen Ferry. |
June 8, 2022 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 How the servo pumps us full of ads. The Pitch asks if it's okay to lie to kids. Plus a look at the latest campaign to stop violence against women. Wil and Russel are joined by Adam Ferrier, Annie O'Rourke, and Camey O'Keefe. |
June 15, 2022 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 We've changed our undies. How do modern briefs brands sell to you? Plus, the other hardware store declares war on the other, other hardware store. Wil and Todd are joined by Dee Madigan, Priya Patel and Christina Aventi. |
June 22, 2022 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 Gruen is back to run over the influx of American pick up trucks and blow smoke in the face of teen vaping. Plus a pitch for Gen Z to hail the King. Wil is joined by Todd Sampson, Dee Madigan, Christina Aventi and Karen Ferry. |
June 21, 2023 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 This week, the punts at sports betting companies are backing themselves to beat new rules and the panel takes a look at a very racy eye test. Wil is joined by Todd Sampson, Camey O'Keefe, Emily Taylor and Carolyn Miller. |
June 28, 2023 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Our panelists checkout how supermarkets are milking the cost of living crisis. Plus the Aussie toilet paper brand that's flush with cash. Wil Anderson is joined by Todd Sampson, Liana Rossi, Sunita Gloster and Karen Ferry. |
July 5, 2023 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 Gruen is back and everybody's Hubblin'. We have ads that make us want to scream and Kia has a campaign ready for the hall of fame. Ute beauty. Wil is joined by Todd Sampson, Camey O'Keefe and Karen Ferry. |
May 15, 2024 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 Hubbl & Andy prove a Hubbler's work is never through, Michael Hill goes from shoppingtown to tinseltown & Smiths Chips release a pack of dogs. Wil is joined by Todd Sampson, Lauren Zonfrillo, Liana Rossi and Russel Howcroft. |
May 22, 2024 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Garnier shouts a round for your hair, influencers are going grey, Suzuki trip through time and one ad challenges our assumptions. Wil is joined by Todd Sampson, Kiranpreet Kaur Dhillon, Karen Ferry and Russel Howcroft. |
May 29, 2024 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 We look at the ad that made you scream 'crikey' and ask if the new Bankwest ads are the Bankworst. Plus our first ever audience suggested pitch. Wil, Todd and Russel are joined by Karen Ferry and Camey O'Keefe. |
May 14, 2025 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 Tonight on Gruen, we solve the mystery of the new KFC logo, join the latest collectable craze and get high... on running. Wil, Todd and Russel are joined by Renata Yannoulis and Lauren Zonfrillo. |
May 21, 2025 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 This week on Gruen, we throw on our White Fox hoodies, give Allianz the bird and convince our friends to help us build IKEA furniture. Wil, Todd and Russel are joined by Kiranpreet Kaur Dhillon and Liana Rossi. |
May 28, 2025 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 Grab your Vaseline tub, grease up and mingle with some hot new singles! Gruen is back. Wil, Todd and Russel are joined by Karen Ferry and Kiranpreet Kaur Dhillon. |
April 29, 2026 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 Check your front door. Amazon has delivered your package. It's not there? Probably porch pirates. Watch Gruen instead. Wil, Todd and Russel are joined by Liana Rossi and Renata Yannoulis. |
May 6, 2026 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Did you know you can eat every meal out of a pouch if you want to? For more helpful life hacks watch Gruen. Wil, Todd and Russel are joined by Christina Aventi and Camey O'Keefe. |
May 13, 2026 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | ABC TV |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 9, 2015 |
| Last aired | April 29, 2026 |
| Status | continue |