Australia – Accenture Song, The Monkeys and Droga5 have been appointed by Tourism Australia to provide the agency with creative and digital services for five years from July 2024, structured as a three-year initial contract with options for two further one-year extensions.

According to Phillipa Harrison, managing director at Tourism Australia, the contract with Accenture Song has been finalised after a competitive tender process.

“We have a very specific brief at Tourism Australia with a global footprint that sees us actively market into 15 key international markets. Our campaigns have set a high benchmark over the years and as our operating environment continues to evolve we need to ensure Australia stands out on the world stage,” Harrison said.

She added, “During the tender process Accenture Song, along with The Monkeys and Droga5, proved they were best placed to provide Tourism Australia with the integrated global creative and digital services we need. We look forward to working with them to showcase the best Australia has to offer to the world.”

Meanwhile, Susan Coghill, chief marketing officer at Tourism Australia stated that the brief for the tender was for a panel that would allow Tourism Australia to respond to future opportunities and challenges.

“We will be working closely with Accenture, The Monkeys and Droga5 to remind the world why ‘There’s Nothing Like Australia’ and are excited to learn more about the creative ideas and big thinking they can bring to the table as we look to get Australia’s tourism industry back on a path of sustainable growth,” Coghill said.

She added, “I would also like to take this opportunity to thank M&C Saatchi and Digitas for all of their hard work over the past five years. It was a challenging period and thanks to both agencies we were able to pivot into the domestic space, with the ‘Holiday Here This Year’ campaigns, and once international travel resumed we launched our current global campaign ‘Come and Say G’day’ welcoming travellers back to Australia.”

David Droga, CEO at Accenture Song, commented, “This win means a lot. Professionally and personally. We are thrilled by the wonderful opportunity, immense responsibility and the rekindled partnership.”

Lastly, Mark Green, president of Accenture Song ANZ as well as the co-founder and group CEO of The Monkeys, stated, “It’s a privilege to partner with Susan and her team of outstanding marketers to help transform and elevate Tourism Australia’s global creative and digital marketing approach. Combining the creative firepower of The Monkeys (Australian agency of the decade) and Droga5 (US agency of the decade), underpinned by the technology and global footprint of Accenture Song, we have some of the best Australian talent from around the world coming together to bring the best of Australia to the world.”

Australia – The Monkeys, part of Accenture Song, has bolstered its creative department with the appointment of former Goodby Silverstein & Partners creative team members Lennie Galloway and Thomas Gledhill as its new associate creative directors.

Galloway and Gledhill just finished a four-year stint at Goodby Silverstein & Partners in San Francisco, where they created award-winning work for Cheetos, Autodesk, and Liberty Mutual. 

Working together for almost a decade, Galloway and Gledhill began their careers at FCB New Zealand. From their early days as interns, the duo quickly garnered recognition, winning awards and soon amassing accolades at every major award show. 

Tara Ford, chief creative officer at The Monkeys, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Lennie and Thomas, fresh from the States, and to have them join the team. Great people. Great talents. We cannot wait to see the brilliant things they will do.”

Meanwhile, in his appointment, Galloway shared, “We’ve had our eye on The Monkeys for years, so we’re feeling pretty lucky to now work here. There’s something about their creativity, and the work in the southern hemisphere in general, that always impresses on a global stage, and we’re excited to be a part of it again. We’re also excited for people to understand our accents again.”

Gledhill added, “It was a hard decision to leave the US, but the opportunity to join The Monkeys made it an absolute no-brainer. They’ve launched some of the most ambitious, well-crafted work in the world, and we can’t wait to be a part of the team. There’s something in the water down here, besides sharks.”

Sydney, Australia – The iconic Sydney Opera House has launched a new film as part of its 50th birthday celebration, and also marking 50 years of bravery, creativity and wonder at the world’s most celebrated cultural landmark. 

Conceptualised alongside The Monkeys, the film is directed by award-winning filmmaker Kim Gehrig and produced by Revolver, and features a collection of Australian artists and arts companies who share an enduring connection with the Opera House.

The film also features the song ‘Play it Safe’, written and composed by Australian singer Tim Minchin as an ironic salute to the bold, visionary experiment that became the Opera House. The song is a musical homage to a building that tested the limits of engineering and design, forever changing the face of Sydney. Minchin has crafted a wry, potent message about the importance of defying conventions and taking risks. 

Minchin’s playful lyrics are richly illustrated in sequences featuring Sydney Symphony Orchestra, The Australian Ballet, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, Ziggy Ramo, Zahra Newman representing Sydney Theatre Company, John Bell representing Bell Shakespeare, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Elma Kris representing Bangarra Dance Theatre, Kira Puru, Cathy-Di Zhang representing Opera Australia, William Barton, Courtney Act, Jimmy Barnes, Sydney Dance Company Pre Professional Year Students and Associate Artists, Lucy Guerin dancers and Minchin himself.

Louise Herron AM, CEO at Sydney Opera House, said, “Imagine if the creators of this magnificent building had played it safe, imagine what we would not have. Their bravery forever changed our nation. We set out to create a tribute to the Opera House 50 years on – to inspire the community and to remind us all of the incredible moments that have taken place here over the past five decades. With the help of the brilliant Tim Minchin, Kim Gehrig and a wonderful cast of Australian artists, this song celebrates what’s possible when you think big.”

Meanwhile, Mark Green, group CEO at The Monkeys and president at Accenture Song ANZ, commented, “We’ve had a long history with the Sydney Opera House since creating the Ship Song in 2010, and we are proud to play our part in championing creativity and the arts in celebration of an icon. It’s been a pleasure working with such a talented group of people.”

Lastly, Phillipa Harrison, managing director at Tourism Australia, said, “We are thrilled to support the 50th anniversary of one of Australia’s most globally recognisable icons, the Sydney Opera House. Taking prominence on the shores of Sydney Harbour, it is a building that has inspired millions of visitors from all over the world to travel here to admire this stunning architectural masterpiece up close, highlighting its central role in international tourism to Australia.”

She added, “Synonymous with Australia and Sydney’s stunning harbour and modern skyline, it has featured prominently in our international tourism marketing campaigns over five decades, including our latest campaign ‘Come and Say G’day’, helping to inspire international travellers to visit our country.”

Australia — Australia Post has launched its latest brand campaign that highlights the shift in how Aussies are living, working, sending and receiving parcels, and reinforces how Australia Post supports them by delivering like never before. The campaign was done in collaboration with the ad agency The Monkeys.

The TVC, entitled ‘Delivering like never before’, follows campaign hero Terry the Postie, and his interactions with his customers on his local route, including families, small businesses and an aspiring garage band. Terry has an uncanny ability to save the day – on more than one occasion. 

Amber Collins, CMO of Australia Post, said that after the challenges of COVID where Australia Post continued to provide the essential service to its customers and communities, the new campaign highlights the integral and ever-changing role Australia Post plays in delivering for Australia. 

“We’ve invested $1 billion into our network, enhancing the customer experience at our Post Offices, deploying one of Australia’s largest fleet of electric delivery vehicles and we now have over four million customers using the Australia Post app to track and manage their deliveries,” Collins said. 

Meanwhile, Paul McMillan, CEO of The Monkeys, shared, “Australia Post is on our streets every day. It’s part of the fabric of Aussie communities. Our latest campaign shows the way Australia Post is changing to help Aussies from all walks of life.” 

The integrated campaign launched with a 45-second TVC during The Voice Grand Final, Masterchef Australia and Celebrity Apprentice. The campaign will run until July across TV, out-of-home, online video, radio, social, digital, press and in-store.

Sydney, Australia – In a bid to boost vaccination endeavors across the country, the Advertising Council Australia, alongside consulting firm Accenture and creative agency The Monkeys, is releasing a public service campaign, which looks back at the numerous events and instances in Australia’s history that Australians have conquered or passed through.

The 60-second campaign showcases both the positive and the negative events in history that have shaped Australia’s resilience against these hindrances or challenges. Enclosed in the campaign are snippets of how Australians have conquered natural disasters such as bushfires, floods, drought as well as the global financial crisis of 2007 to 2008, and championed innovations which include the cochlear implant to overcome deafness, and in the case of Fred Hollows, treat avoidable blindness.

For Tony Hale, CEO at Advertising Council Australia, there is great momentum for vaccination but more needs to be done as part of a concerted push to boost double vaccination rates to the levels and within the timeframe needed.

“As part of a call to arms, we need to bring those who are uncertain about vaccination on board and get the last leg of double vaccinations underway in a bid to reach a minimum of 80% so we can open the country up as quickly as possible,” Hale stated.

Meanwhile, Mark Green, co-founder and group CEO at The Monkey and lead at Accenture Interactive ANZ, commented that by watching the campaign, he reflected that it is important to look back and reflect on all of the challenges we have overcome as a nation, as Many Australians have been greatly affected by the pandemic and in these difficult times.

“As part of this fantastic collaboration, I’m proud of our industry for coming together to encourage all Australians to prioritize vaccination. With one final push, let’s apply our fighting spirit to this pandemic – if we all get vaccinated, we can beat this challenge too,” Green added.

Said campaign has also seen the support of the shareholders of the Premium Content Alliance namely Foxtel, News Corp, Nine, Seven West Media and 10; to which they donated media for the campaign.

“This initiative is the best way for us to do our part in encouraging all Australians to get vaccinated. The reach of our shareholders will ensure the campaign is seen by millions who will watch, hear, read and remember what can be accomplished when we come together as a country,” Kim Portrate, CEO at Premium Content Alliance, stated.

Vaccination campaign efforts have been rampant across Asia-Pacific, with organizations such as the Business Council of Australia, and brands like Agoda, Grab, and TikTok Singapore encouraging their followers to get vaccinated already.