Tag: anz

Australia – Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song, continues to build on its regional creative leadership, today announcing the elevation of creative directors Christie Cooper and James Conner to executive creative directors, effective immediately. Under the direction of co-chief creative officers Barbara Humphries and Damon Stapleton, the agency is also promoting four additional creative leaders to strengthen its ANZ creative department. 

Cooper and Conner were part of the team behind the recent Benee Bagels campaign for ASB, with their work influencing legislation, been cited in academic research, and made a lasting mark on culture.

Over nearly 20 years working together – across DDB, Colenso, The Monkeys, and now Droga5 ANZ – Cooper and Conner have helped shape campaigns for some of New Zealand’s biggest brands, including ASB, Meridian, Asahi, Lion, SKY TV, Westpac, Volkswagen, McDonald’s, Pink Batts, BNZ, Burger King, and Cadbury. They’ve also worked on campaigns like Steinlager’s Deep Dive, BMW’s Reverse April Fools, Paw Justice: Animal Strike, and Don’t Trademe.

In further appointments, associate creative directors Lennie Galloway, Thomas Gledhill, Max Rapley and Danny Pattison, have been promoted to creative directors – reinforcing Droga5’s commitment to nurturing talent and delivering world-class creativity across the region.

Creative duo Galloway and Gledhill were instrumental in delivering ‘We Go There’, the provocative brand relaunch for SBS, and since joining Droga5 in 2024, the pair have delivered standout campaigns for high profile clients including Meat & Livestock Australia. Before Droga5, they spent four years at Goodby Silverstein & Partners in the U.S., working on Cheetos, Lay’s, and Autodesk, and were named Rising Stars of Madison Avenue.

Pattison and Rapley each bring over a decade of experience working with leading brands. Both have led purpose-driven campaigns for NRMA Insurance, Telstra, MLA, Crown Resorts, UNICEF, and Uluru Dialogue – and played key roles in Droga5’s recent pitch wins; Tourism Australia and Optus.

The newly appointed executive creative directors and creative directors will work alongside Hugh Gurney and Joe Sibley–both promoted to ECDs in December 2024–to continue pushing creative boundaries and delivering bold, innovative work for clients across the ANZ region.

James Conner, Executive Creative Director, Droga5, ANZ said, “We’re honoured to be stepping up as Executive Creative Directors, and excited to support Damon, Barb and CEO Matt Michael in building Droga5’s trans-Tasman creative department, helping shape bold, impactful work across both New Zealand and Australia.”

Meanwhile, Christie Cooper, Executive Creative Director, Droga5, ANZ, commented, “We’re excited about the opportunity to work as the creative leads on an impressive portfolio of clients across the ANZ region and we feel really lucky to be a part of such a strong creative team.”  

Barbara Humphries, Co-Chief Creative Officer, Droga5 ANZ, stated, “These promotions recognise the incredible talent we have in the business and the lasting impact each of them has made. Having worked closely with them, I know they’ll bring even more creative firepower to our clients across Australia and New Zealand.”

Lastly, Damon Stapleton, Co-Chief Creative Officer, Droga5 ANZ, said, “Reshaping the senior creative team puts our borderless creative model into action. With this team in place, we’re set to deliver outsized ideas for ambitious brands across the Tasman.”

Australia – M+C Saatchi Group has announced the appointment of Dani Bassil as CEO of M+C Saatchi Group AUNZ, effective August 2025. This newly created role is responsible for the Australia & New Zealand businesses in advertising, consulting, and Passions & PR entities, including Sport & Entertainment.

Dani brings a wealth of experience across a wide variety of marketing, advertising and digital capabilities.

Most recently she was CEO of Clemenger BBDO Australia. Previous roles include CEO of Digitas UK at Publicis, Managing Partner at JWT UK at WPP, and leadership roles in operations, and account management at Grey, W+K, VCCP and Mother. She started her career at Ogilvy Sydney.

Speaking on her appointment, Dani said, “I’ve admired the M+C Saatchi brand for as long as I can remember. To be able to bring all of my experience in brand, consulting, media and digital together to lead this group of incredible businesses is so exciting for me.”

She added, “How we drive value and growth for clients through strategic thinking and cut through with powerful creative and brand ideas is what I get out of bed for, and there’s no better agency brand than M+C Saatchi to partner with clients to achieve this. I can’t wait to get started.”

Meanwhile, Zaid Al-Qassab, global CEO at M&C Saatchi Group, commented, “I’m excited to welcome Dani to the helm of our Australia and New Zealand businesses. Her broad leadership experience and client centric approach will power the agency forward, and her vast digital expertise is what’s most needed in the next phase of our journey to give brands Cultural Power. I’m excited to see what magic she can make.”

As part of this move, Justin Graham will step down from his role as CEO of M+C Saatchi Group APAC later this year. As part of a broader realignment, the Asia business will transition to being led from the Singapore HQ. Justin will remain in his Sydney-based role until then to help guide the handover and support Bassil as she steps into the CEO AUNZ role.

Joining the agency from Droga5 in 2013, Graham’s 12 years at M+C Saatchi have included 6 years as group CSO Australia, before being promoted to the role of CEO ANZ in 2020. Following an impressive period of growth and creative recognition for the business, Graham was promoted to the global advertising lead role in 2022, before assuming his most recent role as APAC regional CEO.

“It has been a privilege to lead the exceptional M+C Saatchi teams locally and around the network over my time; as a self-professed life learner, it’s been a ride. 

‘I’m grateful to Zaid and all the brilliant people I have been fortunate to partner with over the years; my immediate focus is to set up Australia and the key markets in the region for ongoing success,” Justin said.

Speaking on Justin stepping down from the agency, Zaid Al-Qassab said, “Justin has played a critical role at M+C Saatchi, first as a chief strategist, then successful CEO, and most recently leading our APAC region. When I joined the business in May last year, I spent my very first day in our Sydney office to see first-hand the work of the most awarded region in our network. Justin has been a brilliant partner, and whilst I will miss working with him, I am grateful for the legacy he leaves behind.”

He added, “At M+C Saatchi Group, we are committed to our leaders and long-term succession planning. As such, over the last few months, Justin and I have been working closely to identify the best leadership succession for key markets in the APAC region, and in particular our Australian and New Zealand businesses.”

Graham will continue in his director roles for both the Advertising Council (ACA) and social impact organisation, Unltd.

Australia – General Motors Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) has launched its bold new multi-platform campaign “Made for More” via MBCS, unveiling its new flagship 2025 GMC Yukon Denali into the Australian and New Zealand markets.

Developed in collaboration with production house CRATER, the campaign captures the aspirations of its target audience while showcasing the GMC Yukon Denali’s professional-grade capability and promise to deliver more in every moment.

‘Made for More’ is spearheaded by a hero film focussed on a cinematic “day in the life” story following a modern Australian family. From coastal mornings to city evenings, the GMC Yukon Denali is framed not just as a luxury SUV but as a lifestyle enabler, balancing performance and refinement across every journey.

The hero film launches this month across digital and social channels in both Australia and New Zealand as part of the wider GMC brand introduction.

Harry Preston, managing director at MBCS, said, “It’s not every day you get to launch an entirely new automotive brand in this region, and we knew we had to make it count, so we tackled ‘Made for More’ with big ambitions and a grounded creative approach. We set out to create something cinematic, but human – and CRATER brought that vision to life with care and craft.”

Meanwhile, Shanan Goldring, creative director at MBCS, commented, “We didn’t just want to showcase the GMC Yukon Denali — we wanted to show what it unlocks. This campaign was born from a simple insight: that modern families don’t want to choose between power and engineering, or comfort and capability. They want it all. So, we set out to tell a story that reflects that duality — cinematic in scale, yet intimately human. It’s a celebration of Australian family life, where every journey, no matter how ordinary, feels extraordinary in the right vehicle.”

Directed by Madeline King and Cameron March in partnership with CRATER, the film captures aspirational family moments with emotional clarity and sweeping visuals. Each scene was designed to reflect both scale and subtlety, presenting the GMC Yukon Denali as a natural companion to a life well lived.

“The brief allowed us to tell a story with scale, focusing on human moments experienced alongside the impressive GMC Yukon Denali,” said Cameron. 

Madeline added, “We aimed to strike a tone that felt cinematic but relatable. The team at MBCS brought a sharp clarity to the vision from day one, and that collaboration made all the difference.”

The voiceover, performed by Will Arnett, lends a familiar GMC presence to the campaign, adding subtle authority and warmth without overpowering the visuals.

“It was a privilege to support MBCS on this milestone moment for GMC,” said Steven Farrer, Partner/EP, CRATER. “Our directors led with vision, and our crew delivered at every turn. This is the kind of work we love – grounded, ambitious, and made together.”

Australia – 72andSunny ANZ has recently welcomed new hires namely Hayley Noble and Madi Chan as creatives and V. Wassim Kanaan as creative director. The three of them will report to Wesley Hawes, CCO for 72andSunny ANZ.

Speaking on their appointments, Hayley and Madi said, “Continuing to grow as creatives under the guidance of Wez and Wassim is an exciting opportunity for us. We are pumped for this next challenge to work on great brands with great people.”

Meanwhile, Wassim commented, “It’s an incredible opportunity to join an agency with such a legacy globally and momentum locally, as well as a proven ability to create progressive ideas that go well beyond advertising. Many creative agencies say they want to play in culture, 72andSunny actually does.”

Wesley stated, “Hayley, Madi and Wassim all embody the 72andSunny values. Their collective energy, optimism and passion for ideas is infectious. I can’t wait to see what we do together with the rest of the talented 72 crew and our growing list of client partners.”

Moreover, the agency has recently won the creative mandate for discount store Big W. With this, the agency will develop Big W’s ongoing brand and creative strategy as well as developing integrated retail and brand campaigns that extend through earned, social media and the brand experience.

Speaking on the agency mandate, Vanessa Rowed, marketing director at Big W, said, “72andSunny’s belief in optimism and their strong customer insights coupled with innovative creative thinking across paid, owned and earned channels made them the perfect partner for our business.”

Meanwhile, Wesley also added, “We are so proud and delighted to be working with another iconic Australian brand, alongside existing partners like the AFL, Google and realestate.com.au, and with the ambitious and like-minded individuals on the Big W team. Creativity doesn’t start on set. It’s fostered in relationships, shared values, and an almost obsessive desire to understand the audience. We can’t wait to get started and to unlock the potential of the Big W brand.”

Australia – Publicis Groupe’s Mars United Commerce has recently released a new report benchmarking the evolving capabilities of retail media networks in Australia and New Zealand. The report evaluates new entrants, including Uber Advertising, Adore Beauty Media and AVC Experience Plus—alongside established networks such as Cartology, Market Media, Amazon Ads and Coles 360. 

In the report, it noted a retail media network (RMN) industry reaching maturity, with retail media networks delivering increasingly sophisticated tools with new measurement and performance tracking solutions. Driven by advertiser demand for greater clarity and effectiveness, networks are implementing advanced features such as self-service platforms, real-time analytics and rich content options.

It is worth noting that these insights come after Australia saw new entrants in the retail media space, including from Australia Post, Petbarn, and more recently Bunnings.

Strengths of ANZ’s retail media offerings

In an exclusive conversation with MARKETECH APAC, Cameron Porter, commerce planning director for ANZ at Mars United Commerce highlighted key factors on why retail media networks in ANZ are continuously maturing enough to be tapped widely by brands in the region.

“Targeting is where we’ve seen the biggest leap. The ability to understand shopper behaviour — what they’re buying, when, and how often — is powering stronger, more timely messaging across a broader mix of touchpoints. From brand-led video to conversion-led formats, the precision of retail media is starting to stand out on-platform and off-platform,” Cameron said.

He added, “Measurement is still catching up, but the momentum is there. As frameworks mature, we’ll see more advanced test-and-learn programs and sharper optimisation across formats — both of which will accelerate retail media’s role in strategic planning.”

Opportunities and challenges

Looking ahead in 2025, the report notes that the industry can expect further innovation within the retail media space. As networks mature, new entrants will continue to shape the future of the sector, allowing for even more touchpoint opportunities and enhanced capabilities. 

Moreover, the industry’s growth trajectory is clear: transitioning from adolescence into adulthood, and this will present brands with new opportunities to refine their strategies and connect with consumers in more meaningful ways.

“Non-endemic brands represent a major growth opportunity for networks — but also a shift in expectations. These brands are looking for more than sales lift; they want brand impact and real accountability. That pressure will help push innovation and expand the media offering to support both endemic and non-endemic advertisers,” Kelly Wearmouth, managing director at Mars United Commerce ANZ told MARKETECH APAC.

She added, “AI is the next big shake-up. Right now, it’s helping streamline backend processes — smarter forecasting, analytics, and reporting. But the long-term impact will be on front-end performance: real-time targeting, predictive planning, and creative personalisation based on live shopper signals.”

When asked about the challenges on tapping into retail media networks in ANZ, Cameron said, “The biggest challenge isn’t technology — it’s structure. To take full advantage of retail media’s evolution, brands need stronger internal collaboration and more integrated planning across teams and agencies.”

Key pointers to consider when tapping RMNs

In the report, it highlighted that in order to maximise effectiveness in retail media platforms, brands should adopt a strategic three-step evaluation process: evaluate networks, benchmark & compare, and identify opportunities.

For Cameron, the right retail media network isn’t just about reach — it’s about relevance. With more networks coming online, the focus should be on finding the shoppers that connect a brand to the right audience, in the right context, at the right time.

“Contextual targeting and loyalty programs are powerful tools for reaching shoppers who matter most to your category. And just as importantly, marketers should prioritise networks that can collaborate deeply — with strong insights, transparent measurement, and the flexibility to support both brand-building and performance goals. That’s the new baseline for entry,” he concluded.

***

In conclusion, the rapid rise of retail media networks in Australia and New Zealand presents a transformative opportunity for brands to reach highly engaged consumers at the point of purchase. As retailers leverage their first-party data and digital platforms to create more targeted and measurable advertising solutions, brands can enhance their marketing effectiveness, drive conversions, and gain deeper consumer insights. 

This evolving landscape not only enables greater personalization but also fosters stronger collaborations between brands and retailers, ultimately delivering more value to shoppers. By embracing retail media networks, brands in ANZ can unlock new growth opportunities and stay ahead in an increasingly data-driven marketplace.

Australia – Accenture Song’s Droga5 has announced that its ANZ executive creative director Barbara Humphries and Droga5 Aotearoa chief creative officer Damon Stapleton will step into new roles as co-chief creative officers of Australia and New Zealand, working in conjunction with Matt Michael, CEO of Droga5 ANZ.

Meanwhile, Droga5 Australia chief creative officer Tara Ford has been named the chief creative officer of Droga5 London. Based in London, Ford will take on the creative helm, working closely alongside Droga5 London CEO Bill Scott and chief strategy officer Will Hodge.

The new ANZ creative line up is part of an orchestrated creative restructure to reinvent Droga5’s worldwide offering and reposition the expanding global network for its new phase of growth and ambition under Droga5 Global CEO Mark Green.

Speaking on this move, Damon said, “Droga5 has always been a bastion of world-class creativity, and it makes me proud to be able to work with all the great and talented people of Auckland, Sydney and Melbourne to add to Droga5’s story. Having the larger playing field of Australia and New Zealand with so many more Lego pieces to push creativity forward is always going to be fun. On top of that, I get to partner with somebody as massively talented as Barb which makes that journey even more special. I look forward to great ideas and making great stuff.”

Meanwhile, Barbara commented, “I’m really proud of the recent momentum as part of The Monkeys, Song and now Droga5, and learning from a creative force like Tara over the past few years has been invaluable. Now, with the opportunity to bring together more of our talented people across three offices, partnering with the brilliant Damon Stapleton and long-time collaborator Matt, I’m super excited about the opportunities ahead of us.”

It is worth noting that in 2024, Droga5 acquired award-winning Brazilian agency SOKO as well as welcomed The Monkeys in Australia and New Zealand – co-founded by Mark Green – to its network.

Matt Michael, CEO, Droga5 Australia & New Zealand, stated, “I’m excited for Tara and looking forward to seeing her make the incredible kind of impact she has made in Australia in another part of our global network. Her move to head up London further underscores the incredible regional and global opportunities available to our creative talent. Having worked closely with Barb and Damon over the years, I’m thrilled to see these two heavyweights unite, strengthening our creative firepower for clients across the region.”

He added, “This move reinforces our commitment to borderless creativity, driving transformative impact for our client’s businesses, brands, and reputations in a way that continues to lead the world. With the creative calibre of Damon and Barb leading the charge, the next phase of Droga5 ANZ is set to be truly exciting.”

Mark Green, global CEO at Droga5, said, “It is always great to see people you have worked with closely for many years take on new challenges. With Tara moving to London, we didn’t hesitate to elevate Barb and Damon, and it felt like the perfect opportunity for everyone to advance their careers and bolster the creative pedigree of Droga5 globally.”

Meanwhile, Pelle Sjoenell, worldwide chief creative officer, Droga5, commented, “We’re fortunate to have such extraordinary talent within the Droga5 global family. It’s an embarrassment of riches to have world-class creative leaders like Tara, Barbara and Damon. As we welcome Tara into a new chapter in London and unite Barbara and Damon’s creative firepower for ANZ, it allows us to work without borders — harnessing our people, capabilities, and influence to make a real impact for our clients and move us closer to our ambition of being the most influential creative company.”

Speaking on her new move to the agency’s London office, Tara said, “I’ve had an amazing time at The Monkeys, now Droga5 ANZ, working with some exceptional talent but the opportunity to take on my next big challenge of Droga5 London was just too alluring. Droga5 ANZ is in great hands with Barb and Damon at the helm and I have no doubt the agency will flourish under their leadership.”

Australia remains one of the biggest markets globally for many industries, including in marketing and advertising. Alongside New Zealand, these markets contribute to a growing industry scene where brands and B2B firms flourish thanks to an abundance of agencies helping these companies to thrive in the ANZ market and reach more potential clients and consumers.

This is exactly what Dentsu Creative and Merkle does–with the former helping brands to reach consumers through engaging campaigns and marketing initiatives, with the latter helping firms to utilise the power of data and analytics to improve customer experience (CX) and digital transformation. The big question is: how does a sole leader for both of these practices hold up in a competitive market much like ANZ?

To learn more about this, we recently sat down with Kirsty Muddle, CEO of Dentsu Creative ANZ and CEO of practices & products for ANZ at Merkle to learn more about her balanced agency leadership, and how she strives to always make marketing and technology work together through their own initiatives.

Understanding personal leadership philosophy

For Kirsty, her leadership philosophy as both leading Dentsu Creative and Merkle in ANZ is building a foundation of authenticity, empowerment, and continuous learning. Among those key traits include leading by example, learning from failure, and setting boundaries.

“So many leaders get this wrong, when it should be so simple. I believe in showing up, being human, and making myself available for my team. Leadership isn’t just about setting the direction, it’s also about setting the tone for collaboration, trust, and accountability,” she stated.

In terms of learning from failures, she added, “We all fail! So let’s not shy away from it. Instead, embrace and encourage a culture of taking risks and failing fast. Some of the best ideas come from pushing boundaries.”

With a focus on bringing modern creativity to life, Kirsty finds innovative ways to help clients grow their brands and form deeper, more meaningful connections with their customers. She also leads a team of passionate people across creative, strategy, production, earned attention, digital experience, entertainment, public relations, content, social media, Indigenous affairs, and government relations.

Keeping the team engaged

When asked about her way of creating initiatives to keep the agency’s talents engaged, Kirsty stated that creative and entrepreneurial thinking comes when their teams collaborate and unlock the broader dentsu community in order to solve client problems.

“We place a lot of emphasis and importance on creating a culture that values transparency, fosters innovative thinking, and has the right structures in place to enable cross-functional collaboration,” she said.

Some of those initiatives include ‘10 at 10’ where short, hyper-focused updates are done where the team covers the most important things for the week, and ‘Hour of Power’ which are longer, monthly deep dives where the team shares knowledge from key projects, hear from clients, and showcase big ideas or interesting work from across the network.

Moreover, they also do pitch recap sessions to spark inspiration and have open discussions on where the team and its talents can pivot next time.

Navigating industry challenges

Kirsty remarks that no two days are the same in the marketing and creative scene–and that she loves these changes amidst constant evolution. First, she recognises market pressures, noting that the industry faces tighter budgets and increased client expectations. However, she sees this as an opportunity for them to be more efficient.

“This presents an opportunity to think about efficiencies within our business and ensure we’re focusing on value-driven solutions to ensure we’re creating an impact, even in a tough market,” she explained.

Part of the challenge they’re also navigating is innovating their business, stating, “Connecting our teams around client needs has created new opportunities for collaboration across the group. This shift has allowed our people to work across more diverse projects, engage with different clients, and has opened the door to learn from other inspiring people within the global dentsu network.”

Connected to that as well is their goal of continuously refining their product offering, making sure that they clearly define what success looks like. Given that they work in the B2B scene–an industry that is growing whilst most other budgets are under pressure–it is an area that they specialise in from market understanding and consumer dynamics to deliver in tech, media, and creative.

“This has given us the foundation to ensure our creative teams are delivering tier-one work for our tier-one clients, and our CX capabilities are deeply ingrained throughout the business,” she added.

On the other hand, while technically not a challenge, Kirsty also notes that technological advancements are an area that they all have had to learn about and adopt quickly, such as the use of ‘Agentic AI’.

“We are in a productivity lull as a nation, people need time back to focus on the things that are critical yet we still have cumbersome methods and multiplicity that compounds on our time. At dentsu, we’re not just leaning in, we want to be a leader in this space and find meaningful innovation that creates business value and drives impact for our clients and ourselves,” she further noted.

Reflection of milestones and what lies ahead

While Dentsu Creative is just two years old, Kirsty remarked how far their practice has reached, given the multiple services they are able to provide to their clients, especially in the B2B space.

“We have brought together capabilities across Brand, PR, Social, Government Relations, Experience & Connected Commerce and Content Supply Chain to deliver what clients need now, but we’re also geared for the future,” she said.

She added, “We have now diversified our work with clients like NBN and AMEX, delivering E2E Creative solutions for them, and seeing businesses like online retailer The Iconic grow with accelerated velocity as a result of this type of thinking. It’s been a big and hugely rewarding 2 years – and we’re just getting started.”

When asked on her leadership advice in terms of inspiring future leaders in the marketing industry, she summarised it into four key points: 

  • Build a team of resilient and adaptive marketers, so you can remain agile. 
  • Maintain an open mindset. Things move quickly; it’s our job to anticipate what our clients need next. 
  • Celebrate both the wins and the losses. 
  • The best ideas can come from anywhere, so keep your eyes and ears open.

“Our industry is dynamic and demanding but filled with opportunity. Great leaders are those who listen, adapt, and remain curious,” she concluded.

***

Successful marketing agencies play a crucial role in delivering effective B2B solutions, helping businesses connect with their target audiences and drive growth. They craft data-driven strategies, create compelling content, and leverage digital channels to enhance brand visibility and engagement. 

By understanding industry dynamics, optimising campaigns, and fostering meaningful client relationships, these agencies enable businesses to navigate competitive markets with confidence and agility. Through innovation and strategic execution, they empower companies to build credibility, generate leads, and achieve long-term success in an ever-evolving business landscape.

Australia – Global commerce company Mars United Commerce has appointed commerce marketing leader Kelly Wearmouth as managing director for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) as the business continues its transformation at the forefront of the evolving connected commerce ecosystem.

In her new role, Wearmouth will shape and execute Mars United Commerce’s regional operations, strategic direction and growth, including service expansion through development of new offerings that meet evolving client needs, continue to drive performance and growth by turning every brand experience into a connected commerce opportunity.

The appointment comes after the company joined the Publicis Groupe in September 2024 after rebranding from The Mars Agency to reflect its transformation as an innovation-driver, full-service partner across the entire commerce marketing spectrum.

Wearmouth brings 18 years’ experience leading and innovating in senior roles with prominent global companies including Unilever, Microsoft and Telefonica. 

She joins from Amazon, where she spent 10 years in Global, US, UK and ANZ-market roles, including delivering Amazon’s first global advertising agreement and launching its first global advertising campaign. As general manager of Amazon Ads in ANZ, Wearmouth built a $100M+ business across all Amazon advertising products including Twitch.

Speaking on her new role, Wearmouth said, “I am delighted to join the team at such an exciting and transformative time for the company. With a strong foundation in the ANZ market and the ongoing integration across our Publicis Groupe partners, there is unrivalled opportunity to drive innovation and growth for our clients. I look forward to working alongside this uniquely talented team to help our clients achieve their ambitious goals and navigate the evolving commerce market landscape with confidence.”

Meanwhile, Darren Keen, CEO International Markets at Mars United Commerce said, “I am thrilled to welcome Kelly as our new Managing Director for Mars United, ANZ. Her deep local market expertise, combined with world-class commerce and leadership capabilities, makes her the perfect fit to drive our continued success in the region.” 

Darren added, “Kelly joins us at a pivotal stage in our company’s exciting evolution, having joined the Publicis Groupe in Q4 2024. Her leadership will be instrumental in supporting our clients’ growth ambitions, ensuring they thrive in an increasingly dynamic market. We look forward to the impact she will bring to our existing talented team.”

Australia – Wonderful Digital has been appointed as agency partner for Oxford University Press (OUP) Australia and New Zealand to deliver a comprehensive remit spanning customer experience (CX), brand platform development and performance media.

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford which has a mission to further the university’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide.

Through the mandate, Wonderful Digital will focus on localising OUP’s brand platform, improving the customer journey by integrating data-driven insights and optimising performance media strategies. 

Wonderful appointment by OUP leverages its expertise in connecting brands with audiences and follows its expansion to a full-service customer experience (CX) agency with a comprehensive offering designed to engage consumers at every touchpoint.

Moreover, Wonderful’s value proposition, ‘Complexity to Clarity,’ is at the heart of this collaboration and its expertise in technology, design, and data will be pivotal in enhancing OUP’s digital ecosystem and delivering consistent, engaging customer experiences.

Sarah Hossli, head of marketing at Oxford University Press ANZ, said, “As a global leader in education, our goal is to empower teachers and learners with the tools they need to succeed. OUP strives to make learning work for everyone, everywhere. Wonderful stood out for their ability to bring together innovative CX strategies, thoughtful brand storytelling, and performance-driven media campaigns. We are confident their approach will help us deliver meaningful and lasting connections with our Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand audiences.”

Meanwhile, Matt Barbelli, managing director of Wonderful Digital, commented, “Winning the Oxford University Press account is a proud moment for our team. OUP’s legacy in education and their commitment to innovation align perfectly with Wonderful’s ethos. We’re excited to help them localise their brand platform and customer experience while driving measurable results through performance media. This partnership underscores our ability to bridge brand strategy with cutting-edge technology to create real impact.”

Australia – Singapore Tourism Board (STB) Oceania has tapped global social media and influencer marketing agency Komodo to launch ‘The Journey’, a marketing platform for the travel sector that aims to redefine tourism marketing. Other official partners for the campaign include TikTok, Revolut, and luggage provider Samsonite.

The campaign, a gamified TikTok mini-series, will feature six Australian content creators with a combined following of over 34 million. These creators will participate in audience-driven, location-based challenges designed to highlight Singapore as a premier travel destination. Through engaging storytelling, the series aims to build credibility while inspiring increased visitor interest.

For Komodo, ‘The Journey’ concept redefines marketing in the travel sector, where social media has disrupted traditional strategies, leading modern travelers to seek increasingly unique and personalised experiences. The series will also serve as an educational platform, promoting sustainable and responsible travel in a candid and organic format.

Beyond showcasing the creators’ adventures, the TikTok LIVE Diary Room, hosted in TikTok’s studios, will provide a space for behind-the-scenes insights and personal reflections, offering audiences an exclusive look into the experiences and challenges faced throughout ‘The Journey.’

@thejourneylive

The Journey Singapore kicks off on 3rd February 🇸🇬 6 creators, 7 days, 4 challenges, 1 winner. Follow the action and vote for your favourite creator as they compete in 4 epic challenges across Singapore. The prize? An unforgettable trip for two for one lucky follower 🥇 ✈️

♬ original sound – The Journey

Nick Seymour, co-founder of Komodo, noted that tourism boards and global destinations are navigating a landscape that has undergone significant disruption. He highlighted that many consumers now base their travel plans entirely on what they see online and on social media, rendering traditional advertising less effective in capturing attention and driving conversions.

“Brands face similar issues, and with ‘The Journey’  we wanted to create a platform that could organically showcase a destination through gamified content while also integrating our brand partners, TikTok, Revolut and Samsonite together with their products and services in an engaging and entertaining way that doesn’t seem like an ad – ie connecting with audiences where they consume content in an innovative way, which is native to each social platform and their nuances,” he said.

He added, “As social media and influencer experts who’ve been planning travel activations since we launched eight years ago, we’ve seen first-hand the power that influencers, social media and particularly TikTok can have on a destination and how creator partnerships are revolutionising marketing strategies, breaking traditional rules and delivering superior results.”

Meanwhile, Oliver Chong, executive director, international group & Oceania at STB, stated, “We’re excited to partner with Komodo on the inaugural edition of “The Journey”, which is a novel and innovative way for us to connect with visitors and highlight the unexpected experiences Singapore has to offer. Showcasing what the destination has to offer through the lens of these six content creators is also a fantastic way for us to reach new audiences, and hopefully inspire them to come and experience Singapore for themselves.”