Tag: BMF

Australia – BMF, the creative agency based in Sydney, has appointed three new hires to strengthen its planning department, namely Anna Bollinger, the new head of planning, Jessica Sutanto, the new senior strategic planner, and Benjamin Yap, the junior planner.

Bollinger’s career spans over 14 years in the advertising industry, with broad experience in QSR, FMCG, service, and retail industries. Bollinger’s appointment is a comeback to BMF, having started her career in the agency as a grad. From BMF then, she moved on to work with advertising agency DDB, and then independent creative firm The Special Group.

Commenting on her appointment, Bollinger said, “I was fortunate to start my career at BMF and so rejoining the team feels like coming home. What’s more, it’s my joy to be invited to work on ALDI: one of the most pioneering and entertaining brands.”

Meanwhile, Sutanto joins from DDB where she worked on large accounts including Westpac and McDonald’s, and dabbled in brand work with Netflix, Neutrogena, Carefree, and Pharma. 

And lastly, Yap has worked in multiple social content roles at creative companies including Red Engine, Ogilvy PR, and most recently at BMF’s sister agency Orchard. He brings with him over five years of experience in delivering social campaigns for the likes of consumer and healthcare brands, and working with clients such as PepsiCo, Carnival Cruise Lines, and Microsoft, among others.

Christina Aventi, BMF’s chief strategy officer, commented that they feel lucky to have three stellar planners “stomping the floor” at Pyrmont. 

“Ben is a beautiful soul and a modern-day planner whose background will teach us a thing or two. Jess is a licorice all-sort of a planner, equally comfortable in the lofty heights of brand and deep in the nitty-gritty of connections planning. I will likely be reporting to her one day. And Anna, well, what can I say? When I asked people for recommendations for the best head senior planner around, her name ALWAYS came up,” said Aventi.

In August this year, BMF has also announced the return of its former senior copywriter, Lucy Kough to become its new creative director. She brings over 20 years of experience across direct, brand, media, digital, and experiential, as well as regional, and CRM.

Australia – With the convenience that digital apps offer also comes the democratization of undertakings that used to be exclusive to those that only have the expertise and the know-how. For example, through apps, the common consumer is able to accomplish things such as becoming an online seller, and even those that don’t know a thing about graphics are now able to flex a visual artist hat. 

Such is the case of Sharesies, a financial platform in Australia and New Zealand, that aims to dumb down the activity of investing in shares.

In a new campaign made together with creative agency BMF, Sharesies doubles down on its brand promise of making investing in stocks easier for all by drawing similarities between investing and common activities such as playing the saxophone, learning to drive, and kissing in a fun and light series of spots. In reality, they are far from comparable, only except for one thing – before we become a master of the said things, we all start as beginners.

BMF and Sharesies
Sharesies’ campaign is made up of three different ads, portraying a beginner’s experience in playing the saxophone, in kissing, and in driving.

And this is the message that Sharesies wants to send across. Investing may be intimidating, but with the help of the platform, and some good ‘ol encouragement that no skill is ever really mastered with one quick go, it’s possible to start one’s investment journey now.

Sharesies’ platform offers an easy way to have an investment portfolio, giving access to invest in thousands of companies and funds in New Zealand, Australia, and the US. In addition to the main service of Sharesies, investing gets much ‘friendlier’ with the platform meshing a tropical branding with a rather serious and intricate activity. 

Sharesies is a New Zealand-based investing platform and the campaign was launched by Sharesies Australia under the new brand platform created by the BMF agency, ‘Let’s Get Growing’.

After winning a competitive pitch for the account, BMF has created the brand platform with the aim to celebrate investment as a long-term game, one that isn’t won through ‘shortcuts’. 

Pia Chaudhuri, BMF’s ECD, commented, “You’ve been a beginner many times in your life, but being one didn’t stop you then, and it shouldn’t stop you now. Investing can seem intimidating, but just like so many other things, it can be worth taking the plunge. ” 

Chaudhuri adds, “We hope this campaign inspires and empowers investing novices to take heart in the fact we all have to start somewhere, and sometimes, pushing through the awkwardness can bring us one step closer to realizing our dreams.”

BMF and Sharesies
An OOH ad of the campaign by BMF

Meanwhile, Brooke Roberts, co-founder and director of Sharesies Australia, said, “Sometimes, you just need a little bit of help to see the potential you already have. We want to empower our investors with the tools and knowledge to reach their personal goals.” 

Roberts adds, “BMF’s platform is true to our brand and we hope it will get Aussies to take their first investment plunge, and continue to grow, with the Sharesies platform.”

The campaign will run in the Australian market across BVOD, OOH and digital and will be supported with a $10 retail offer covered by Sharesies Australia upon sign-up.

Sydney, Australia – ‘Tradies’ or slang for tradesmen have been an integral part of Australian for their home needs. Realizing the importance of this ‘partnership’, Aussie ‘tradie’ platform hipages has launched a new campaign, putting the focus on these ‘tradies’ that have helped Australian homes to be renovated and fixed.

The campaign highlights hipages as the place where dreamers and practical doers unite towards the common goal of making a home the best it can be. Founded in 2004, hipages is Australia’s largest online ‘tradie’ marketplace. Whether someone’s building a swimming pool or installing a new kitchen, if one needs a licensed ‘tradie’, you will always find one customers can trust on hipages.

Said campaign was created by creative agency BMF, who was appointed by hipages in June following a competitive pitch between three Australian creative agencies. The agency was the lead creative agency as well to launch the new brand platform of hipages.

For Guillaume Papillon, head of brand and communications at hipages said that BMF’s approach to their brand relaunch and campaign nurtured and elevated the platform’s existing brand to create something magical, rather than ignoring the solid foundations they have built for the hipages brand over the past few years.

“Understanding and successfully positioning a two-sided, online marketplace can be challenging, but also an exciting task for brand experts and creatives. I feel like we have succeeded in doing so with this new brand platform. BMF has a proven track record for driving exceptional growth for Aussie brands and for creating enduring ideas that are true to the brand sentiment and purpose. We are confident that together we will create happier Australian homes,” Papillon said.

Meanwhile, Pia Chaudhuri, executive creative director at BMF, commented, “Homeowners get to reap the glory that comes with a much-improved home, often taking the credit for the hard work of the tradies involved. We wanted to show that you need a tradie behind you to make those home improvement dreams come true. And when you think about it, civilization as we know it wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the people with the skills and smarts to make even the wildest ideas a reality.”

Australia – The creative agency based in Sydney, BMF, has announced the return of its former senior copywriter, Lucy Kough, to now assume the role of creative director.

Kough’s career spans over 20 years, where she held roles across direct, brand, media, digital, and experiential, as well as regional, and CRM. She has previously worked with creative agencies including Ensemble Australia, Enigma Agency, and Archibald/Williams. 

In addition, Kough has delivered work across a diverse range of brands such as The Australian, Vogue, The Cancer Council, KitKat, Allens, and Lego, as well as Hesta, and The Australian Formula One Grand Prix. Just recently, she also led the Transport NSW ‘Saving Lives on Country Roads’ campaign that reversed the road toll on regional NSW roads with life-saving behavior change.

“BMF was the agency that elevated my career. Now, almost ten years later, I’m thrilled to be back. Our clients need creativity in every part of their business, now more than ever. I’m looking forward to combining my love of data, craft, and solving problems with an incredible team around me,” said Kough, regarding her appointment.

Meanwhile, Alex Derwin, BMF’s chief creative officer, commented that Kough brings a unique skillset to BMF which will definitely add creative power across the entire customer journey. 

“She believes in the same thing we all do – the power of great ideas to transform brands and businesses, and we are very excited to welcome Lucy back to the BMF family,” said Derwin.

In July this year, BMF has also announced the promotion of Pia Chaudhuri to the new role of executive creative director. She was also tasked to further drive the agency’s creative leadership team.

Sydney, Australia – Sydney-based creative agency BMF has recently promoted its current group creative director Pia Chauduri to the new role of executive creative director, 18 months after Chaudhuri first joined the agency.

Her new role reflects her extensive portfolio of award-winning work, having worked in the industry for over 17 years in specialist creative, experiential, digital, PR and social agencies. In her time at BMF as group creative director, she has been behind some of the agency’s best work and has been responsible for securing a number of recent new business wins.

Furthermore, her work at BMF also included securing a pitch to retain the Department of Social Services account in leading the government’s long-term behavior change campaign to tackle domestic violence. She also creatively led other COVID-19 related campaigns, as well as work with financial services company BPAY for its brand platform, and the Department of Heath’s campaign ‘How’s Your Head’, which tackles mental health.

Speaking about her appointment, she said, “It’s not often you start at an agency and feel immediately at home, but BMF is just one of those places. The team, the culture, the work, are all standout. 18 months later, I’m excited and humbled to have been given this opportunity, and look forward to being part of BMF’s next chapter.”

In addition to her work at BMF, she is also passionate about creating an industry of inclusivity and equality. Driving diversity initiatives internally at BMF, Pia has shaped the making of ‘The Acknowledgement Project’, a short film acknowledging the Gadigal people, an indigenous group in Australia, as custodians of the land Aussies live, walk and breathe on today. The film was launched internally during National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) week, an observance of the indigenous people who had lived in Australia.

Alex Derwin, chief creative officer of BMF, commented, “Pia has made a huge impact since her first day at BMF. She’s courageous, principled, and has impeccable taste – all the ingredients to be not just a creative leader, but a leader in our business, and for our culture. She’s a role model to everyone here, and I couldn’t be happier to be working alongside her in taking BMF into the future.”

Sydney, Australia – Australia-headquartered international network of marketing and communications businesses Enero Group has announced a new group strategy and M&A director, Nick Burton. The appointment comes as the group announces its first acquisition of sales and marketing agency McDonald Butler Associates by Hotwire UK in April. 

Enero Group describes itself as a “boutique force in modern marketing,” and under the group are some notable names in communications and creatives such as creative agency BMF, communications consultancy Hotwire, and PR and government relations CPR. 

Based in Sydney, Burton will be responsible for developing and executing the group’s growth strategy and mergers and acquisitions activities. His appointment will see him become part of the executive leadership team and will be reporting to Brent Scrimshaw, Enero Group’s CEO, who himself has recently reached a one-year mark on the role.

Of the appointment, Scrimshaw commented, “Nick’s industry experience and deep expertise in corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions will be invaluable to Enero and our agencies, as we progress our global strategy and identify growth opportunities across the Group. He will play a critical role in our global growth agenda and we’re thrilled to have him join at a very important time in the Group’s evolution.”

Burton joins the group after four years at Bain & Company in London and Sydney where he was a senior manager, leading projects focused on corporate strategy and transformation for large enterprises. He also worked extensively with major Australian and global private equity investors to assess potential acquisition targets. 

Prior to Bain, Burton worked in the institutional banking and markets team at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and as a startup advisor for Startup Bootcamp Fintech in London. 

Burton comments, “Enero’s collective of specialist agencies are market leaders in their respective areas and offer a fantastic platform to explore further growth for the Group. I am thrilled to be joining Enero and be part of this journey, and look forward to accelerating the positive momentum and energy the team has built over the past 12 months.”

Within the group, Enero has also unveiled its latest leadership with Carla Webb-Sear as Enero’s new chief financial officer as well as the appointment of Heather Kernahan the Global CEO of Hotwire. 

Sydney, Australia – One of the oldest state newspaper publications in Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH), as well as another state news outlet owned by media company Nine, The Age, has launched a new brand platform – ‘Minds Wide Open’.  

The new major brand and subscriber campaign comes after a year of record subscriber uptake in 2020 for both the news publications as the unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic sparked greater interest and dependence on news and information. 

SMH The Age
Outside banner from the campaign

The campaign is focused on the mastheads’ brand purpose – to foster independent thinking and open understanding, hence the platform ‘Minds Wide Open’. 

The ad, which was developed with advertising agency BMF, is presented as an ‘open letter’ to close-minded individuals. It starts with ‘Dear close minds’, and then goes on listing out the different forms of oppression and injustice that a close mind ought to contribute to its development, such as sexism, racism, and polarization, and then ‘warning’ such individuals the consequences of having a biased judgment.

SMH and The Age are both owned by media company Nine, with the latter reporting on the latest news in Melbourne, Victoria. Both were first established in the 1800s and are still serving as their original broadsheet format and are also currently managing each of their own digital platforms. The campaign by BMF was made to highlight the role both mastheads play in sparking public debate and discussion in Australia and features their award-winning photojournalism. The brand platform seeks to champion the benefits for Australians of tuning into different perspectives and having access to balanced news in a category of bias.

SMH The Age
One of the campaign’s outdoor ads on a bus

The ad was directed by Patrick Clair, winner of two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Main Title Design for his work on ‘True Detective’ and ‘The Man in the High Castle’. Kristen Turner, Nine’s head of consumer subscriptions, said the campaign draws on extensive customer insights and speaks to the incredible journalism they produce and the unique role SMH and The Age play within the political and social discourse

“2020 was a year of significant growth for our brands. In 2021, we need to assert our role in provoking the conversations Australia needs to progress, beyond the relentless news cycle. Both to create and retain tomorrow’s subscribers,” said Turner. 

Christina Aventi, BMF’s chief strategy officer, commented, “As Aussies, we value being open as a culture, but our ability to understand differences has been fading due to filter bubbles and echo chambers. The Herald and The Age offer balance over bias, reporting from the center, not a side to inspire debate over division.”

David Roberts, BMF’s creative director, also said, “Every day, Sydney Morning Herald and Age journos pry open the truth and are unflinching in the face of threats. We hope this campaign does justice to their grit and resolve.” 

The campaign will run across television, BVOD, cinema, and digital, as well as social, outdoor, and print.