So Kolby, what’s happening in Brissy? Are you guys setting the pace for the rest of the industry or what?
You bet. Right now, Brisbane’s all about understanding what the community needs and handling major growth. The State Government is big on behaviour change campaigns to shape Queensland’s future, especially with the 2032 Brisbane Olympics coming up. They’re focusing on issues like housing and youth crime, aiming to get Queenslanders on board with changes and put the region on the global map.
Savvy clients see the growth opportunities and are ready to jump in. The local ad scene has stepped up, crafting strategies—some pretty forward-thinking—to ride the wave. Solid strategy is key to turning creative ideas into real success.
What’s keeping strategists like yourself up at night?
Keeping clients focused on the basics and showing our worth is a real challenge right now.
We’ve been trying to steer them away from quick fixes and flashy trends, encouraging them to invest in long-term brand building instead. It’s all about staying on track and equipping our team with the right knowledge and skills to push back thoughtfully and strategically, because brands jumping around too much creates chaos and loss of identity. Proving ROI helps clients resist the urge to cut budgets, and demonstrates the value and benefits of investing in their brand for the long haul.
You run a team. Tell us what the ideal strategic planner is to you?
They’ve got to be a strong leader with a wide skill set, but also a specialist in a certain area of strategy. They should be super curious, always thinking about the future, and have a real passion for creativity. Understanding effectiveness is key to making sure the money marketers spend actually delivers results. And they’ve got to be likeable and able to build trust. You could be the smartest planner out there, but if people don’t like you or trust you, no one’s gonna listen to you.
What will Brisbane’s ad and marketing folk get out of doing AdSchool Core Strategic Planning?
Firstly, this course is for people who want to be more strategic, early-career agency staff who are curious and want to have bigger conversations with clients, and aspiring or new planners and strategists, even from the digital or social side, who are looking to upskill and build a strong foundation to develop great creative work.
You’re going to walk away with the ability to build really strong relationships with clients, help your agency solve larger client problems, and generate bigger and more interesting briefs. You’ll be able to have conversations around effectiveness and how to extract more value and make the marketing budget work harder – stuff that keeps a CMO and CEO up at night. Finally, you will no longer have to be bogged down in what the next Father’s Day promotion is going to be.
What’s the course highlight for you?
Meeting talented up-and-comers in Brisbane who are eager to learn. I’m always curious to hear their thoughts on the industry and what gets them excited about the future.
There are no courses like this up here. I’ve talked to many young people in account service who love what they do but are looking for more or want to switch things up. AWARD School isn’t for everyone, but this course, and AdSchool, can take them to the next level, and I’m pumped to help them get there.
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AdSchool’s next eight-week, part-time Core Strategic Planning course starts July 11 in Sydney and Perth, and October 10 in Brisbane, Melbourne and online. Find out more and secure your place here.
