One team. Multiple studios.
We are a multi-talented team of 75 across our Auckland, Sydney & Melbourne offices. Together, we’re an independent, partner-owned agency that’s spent the last 25 years thriving off strong relationships and outstanding work on both sides of the Tasman. We have a shared breadth of expertise that spans brand strategy, brand identity, voice, brand insights, brand experience, service design and innovation.
We tackle the big branding issues of our times and create brands that are distinctive, genuine, desired and socially engaged. We have been recognised regularly for the last eight years with awards at the international REBRAND™ Awards. We are now the most awarded brand agency in Asia Pacific. It’s something we’re extremely proud of.
We are strategists, planners, design thinkers, facilitators, account managers, designers, finished artists, animators, video artists, interpreters of technology, experience designers, writers and story tellers… We love a good laugh, coffee, chocolate, pickles, pepper-steak pie and a chin wag over a single malt. We’ve worked with kids in Morocco, stripped Sophie Dahl, helped get Helen Clark elected, danced with Salmon Rushdie, run a stop-go sign and are descended from the French Royal family. We climb mountains, bike to work, live on Waiheke, know three types of martial arts and can still kick-flip a skateboard. We’ve moved to New Zealand from Scotland for the weather and to escape an evil twin, had a member of the royal family jump on our bed, and once spoke Japanese.
- Showing everyone
- Creative Managers
- Creative Thinkers
- Creative Designers
- Creative Writers
Steve Main
General Manager
Steve is a general manager who could double as a NZ travel guide. Rides his bike to work and crusades for four meals in a day. Spoke Japanese once.
Jodine Bell
Creative Director
Jodine is a creative director and practiced her Italian with chickens because they couldn’t tell her how bad she was. Quit her job to wrangle small children in Morocco. Once stripped Sophie Dahl naked.
Nick Sampson
Strategy Director
Nick is a Strategy Director who once drove a steam roller. Was allowed on the stop/go sign too. He thinks the Rikenbacker 330 is ‘the’ design classic. But plays a Tele these days. He secretly drink lattes. Likes flowers. And firmly believes a decent single malt and a chinwag paves the path to enlightenment.
Jo Hanson
Senior Account Director
Jo is a senior account director, who loves a good laugh almost as much as she loves a pepper-steak pie. Her granny will tell you that she’s a descendant of the French royal family, but you can just call her Jo.
Stephen Kane
Senior Designer
Stephen is a senior designer and was called Mark for the first few weeks of his life. He moved from Scotland for the weather and geothermal activity (and possibly to escape his evil twin.)
Sunita Ramsey
Finance Executive
Sunita is a finance executive who loves chocolate. And Michael Jackson. Did she mention chocolate?
Tom Brigstocke
Group CEO
Tom’s weekend relaxations include chopping wood and looking after cattle. He gets goosebumps from Elgar. Born in the USA. Still owns a Triumph 900 (his guilty pleasure). Dislikes tofu, likes steak tartare. And contends we have an apostrophe surplus.
Wayde Bull
Planning Director
Wayde worked on Margaret Thatcher’s re-election campaign (in short trousers). Has a collection of TinTin comics in mint condition. Runs long distances when his knees agree. Is a sucker for new apps, a good historic novel and West Wing repeats.
Tim Riches
Group Strategy Director
Tim is a pickle lover, sometime pickler and occasional smoker. Finds Zomato an invaluable antidote to restaurant indecision. He’s a small time gardener with a thing for bonsai and terrariums and a believer in the predictive power of science fiction.
Dan Bradley
Director of Experience Design
Dan is married to a mermaid and related to Chopin. Has swum in underground lakes, climbed an active volcano at night and got lost in a storm kayaking between Thai islands. Knows three types of martial arts and has three sons to keep him on his toes.
Mary Winter
Insights Director
Mary likes crocheting, spinning wool and having early morning coffee by the sea with retired farmers. A nature lover, she’ll gladly spend hours spying Goshawks above treetops and deeply envies a friend’s critically endangered species of black swamp gum. But let’s keep that between us.
Hamish Cargill
Director, Brand Voice
Hamish still struggles to correctly use ‘affect’ and ‘effect’. Has been a snow reporter. And a stuntman. Once woke to a member of the royal family jumping on his bed. Rode eventing horses professionally for 6 years. And still plans to compete at the Olympics.
Claire Gallagher
Internal Brand Director
Claire loves suprises (mostly), talking, Ireland and being a mum. Has a fear of fish. Danced with Salman Rushdie to ‘I Will Survive’.
Nick Ryan
Senior Writer
Nick is a writer who dreams of living in a tiny house one day, despite being 6’3". Once rode a brakeless bike around Portugal, wearing shorts and jandals. He has many passions outside of writing - including cryptozoology, 80s Rub-A-Dub, swimming in rivers, bioluminescence, wood fires, Spanish nights, and comfortable chairs.
Bowen Hanson
Resident Puppy
Bo, our resident puppy, joined us on Shortland Street in 2018 during the Chinese NY celebrations for the Year of the Dog. Bo’s greatest achievement to date, aside from stealing our hearts and the odd sock, is coming top-of-class in basic obedience at Barkley Manor — with a shining A+ grade. Next time you’re down town, ask him to show you his ‘down dog’. As a Springer Spaniel he’ll be more than happy to please.
