Industry unites for The Growth Agenda launch
From Tourism Australia, Rolex, Cotton On Group and Australia Post to Victorian Racing Club, MYOB and many more, top execs from the media, marketing and advertising industry united to celebrate the launch and success of The Growth Agenda.
Top marketers from some of the country’s biggest brands, senior ad agency creatives and News Corp execs gathered in Melbourne last week to celebrate the launch and success of The Growth Agenda.
The invitation-only event, held at waterside venue Greenfields Albert Park, was held to mark the creation of the new section, in partnership with Advertising Council Australia.
Created to highlight the importance of creativity in driving business growth, The Growth Agenda is a prime example of how The Australian, as well as News Corp’s dedicated luxury content offering, Prestige, understands that clients are not only seeking and wanting more, but are demanding that media partners push boundaries when it comes to partnering and showcasing their brands.
Opening with a speech from Penny Fowler, Melbourne-based chairman of the Herald & Weekly Times at News Corp Australia, attendees also heard from Edwina McCann, editorial director at News Prestige, Vogue, Vogue Living and GQ, and Mark Green, co-founder/group CEO of The Monkeys and lead at Accenture Interactive.
“It was great to have everyone together at the event to talk about the major role creativity is having in organisations, not just in the marketing department, but across the entire business,” Mr Green said.
“We’re really pleased with how The Growth Agenda is tracking, the conversations it’s provoking; and are excited about where it can go next.”
In a panel hosted by The Growth Agenda editor Pippa Chambers, Mr Green joined Kimberlee Wells, CEO of TBWA Melbourne and Adelaide, and a trio of chief marketing officers including Tourism Australia’s Susan Coghill, Australia Post’s Amber Collins and start-up Stake’s Bryan Wilmot.
With content to be rolled out in TGA over the following week, the panel discussed the changing face and role of creativity and its critical role in business transformation and driving growth.
Guests included the head of marketing at Vanguard, Louise Eyres, renowned marketing consultant Rob Brittain, exec GM of brand and marketing at Victorian Racing Club, Jo King, ACA CEO Tony Hale, chief creative officer of The Monkeys Tara Ford, M&C Saatchi’s CEO Justin Graham, and brands including Rolex, Cotton On Group, MYOB, and BHP and many more.
Melbourne-headquartered Ms Wells, who is a firm believer that creativity drives innovation, innovation drives growth and growth drives shareholder value, said it was much needed to bring great minds together in person to share ideas and inspiration.
“Creativity requires spontaneity, inspiration and cultural observation,” she said. “Our industry has been starved of all of this over the last couple of years. We need to get back together to reignite the sparks and lift the creative ambition back to world class.”
Ms Coghill agreed, adding that “rubbing sticks together to get fire” was a great metaphor for the power of human connection as she revelled in the benefits of uniting business leaders together live and in person.
Marketer Ms Collins said given everyone in business learned from the experience of others, reading stories of how creative problem solving had yielded significant business results was the most nutritious brain food there is.
“There can never be too much inspiration,” Ms Collins said.
“The Growth Agenda brings a sense of optimism and energy to The Australian which encourages leaders across businesses to think about the role of creativity in driving business performance – and how many business issues can be addressed if we work harder to identify the customer insights that unlock opportunities and solutions.”
Ms Collins argues that if more decision makers are reading about the power of creativity, then its role as an economic multiplier becomes better understood, acknowledged and embraced – and the appetite for risk and innovation in corporate Australia will grow.
Also a supporter of TGA, Ms Coghill said the section, which sits alongside the popular media segment, served to elevate the role and impact of marketing and creativity on driving commercial outcomes for businesses.
“Having this message appear in the business section of a newspaper as respected as The Australian adds credibility and gives exposure with CEOs, CFOs, and boards to this important topic.”
CMO Mr Wilmot said while marketers and agencies had often been seen as the custodians of “creativity”, he felt the job to be done was not just to highlight creativity’s role in marketing effectiveness, but should be to inspire CEOs to build a culture around inventive thinking across the entire organisation.
“It was brilliant to hear such a robust discussion tonight on the many and unique ways that creativity and the power of marketing is driving each of our businesses forward,” ACA’s Mr Hale added.
“It is a really exciting time for the marketing and advertising community and with a recent study by McKinsey revealing that 78 per cent of CEOs are looking to their marketing leaders to deliver growth, the opportunity is clearly there for all of us to see and grasp.”
John Lehmann, managing director of The Australian, NSW ACT & Prestige titles, said with creativity living at the heart of all growth strategies, there was no denying that it was shaping the future of the multi-platform publisher The Australian had morphed into.
“Our smart, loyal and emerging readers need us more than ever to surprise, inform and inspire,” Mr Lehmann said.
“With The Growth Agenda we are proud that we have created a new home for the incredible work the advertising industry is doing to surprise consumers, inform them of new products and services and, perhaps most importantly, inspire them to generate growth during what has been – and continues to be – an incredibly turbulent time,” Mr Lehmann said.
Further insights from the event will be reported in the next edition of TGA.
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