AADC Executive Committee highlight liquid reality and aftermarket strategies among industry trends to watch

1) Why did you decide to join the AADC Executive Committee? What do you hope to achieve?

Why I joined vs. why I continue to take part are somewhat different — I joined so I could forge deeper relationships throughout the industry, find a group of solid people who I could learn from and get outside perspectives on things. Now, I stick around because I give a genuine shit (excuse my french) about the industry and the people in it, and want to continue to do great things with great people.

2) What do you think is the most interesting change or trend you've observed in the industry in 2022?

For our little pocket of the industry specifically, I think we're starting to show the rest of Australia, and the world, what we can do! We punch above our weight in so many ways so I'm loving seeing that come out through the body of work we're collectively delivering as a state.

1) Why did you decide to join the AADC Executive Committee? What do you hope to achieve?

I originally joined in 2019 as I was new to the Adelaide industry, and I was keen to meet more people and understand the landscape more.

It is rare to have a neutral place where you can speak openly with other agencies and all share a common goal, and I got to know some amazing people.

Very quickly I realised that if you put the effort in you can get great results, and quickly. My first ambition was to provide a better link for students coming into the industry and we created AdCrawl, improved the Mentorship programme and integrated the universities into our programs more.

I want to put Adelaide on the map nationally as a creative hub. A place where great work gets made, the creative spirit is competitive, but collaborative, and it becomes a destination where people want to work.

2) What do you think is the most interesting change or trend you've observed in the industry in 2022?

Work from anywhere. State and international borders have collapsed, it does not matter where you are anymore. If you have the talent, you can work for any company in the world from Adelaide. And Adelaide can compete for any business regardless of location. Live in a great place, work for a great company, win win.

1) Why did you decide to join the AADC Executive Committee?

I was actually invited by the Club Secretary Leanne Vine to attend my first AADC Executive meeting in 1996, after serving on the Awards committee in previous years. The process was a little bit different back then, as a young fella from Pepper Studios, it was an honour to even be considered. We met in the boardroom of the Y&R building on Fullarton Road, I presented my offerings, then the Executive Committee took a vote to see if they would allow me in, the rest is history I guess.

1a) What do you hope to achieve?

I want to do everything I can to keep this entity alive and relevant well beyond my time in this industry. Although it's important to look forward, we should never forget the great legacy provided by those who served in the industry before us. Celebrating the great Adelaide creative work has always been important to me, hence my dedication to the Awards show.

2) What do you think is the most interesting change or trend you've observed in the industry in 2022?

In a global sense, advertising is starting to become fearless again. The pandemic has seen the fight return for brave and clever ideas. The reset was needed, let's hope that we see some good brave work generated in South Australia.

1) Why did you decide to join the AADC Executive Committee? What do you hope to achieve?

I joined the AADC Executive Committee as an eager university student who wanted to learn more about the world of advertising (and if I’m honest, get a leg up on my peers). It’s been incredibly rewarding, both professionally and personally. It’s broadened my network, introduced me to some pretty cool people, and confirmed that this industry is exactly where I want to be. Now that I’m a working gal, the AADC provides a way for me to give back to the community that helped me get my start. Through my involvement I hope to leave the industry in a better place than I found it, particularly for students and young graduates trying to find their feet.

2) What do you think is the most interesting change or trend you've observed in the industry in 2022?

I’ve found the return to ‘pre-Covid’ life pretty interesting, particularly how different organisations have adapted to the work from home phenomenon. Whilst some businesses have embraced the ‘remote workforce’ and the benefits/opportunities it provides, others appear to want to leave this in the past. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds over the coming years, and the long-lasting impact of the pandemic on people’s working lives.

1) Why did you decide to join the AADC Executive Committee? What do you hope to achieve?

Coming from a female-owned creative communications agency, things like representation, inclusivity, and well-being in our industry matters a great deal to me. As someone who believes in putting people first and giving back, I wanted to invest my time in She Creates and ensure that there are opportunities for women to engage in deeper collaboration within the creative communications industry. Therefore, I’m delighted to be able to support AADC and She Creates in this purpose.

2) What do you think is the most interesting change or trend you've observed in the industry in 2022?

I think we’ve seen businesses looking to play a bigger role in making changes for the good of society and the planet, as trust in government to do this is at an all-time low. However, the collaboration between business and government is more important than ever before if we really want to see this change realised. It’s an important step and one that needs to be accelerated – collaboration is the key.

1) Why did you decide to join the AADC Executive Committee? What do you hope to achieve?

I initially joined the Education Sub-Committee under Joe. When he became Co President I took on Chair of Education. The ethos for the Education Committee this year is to 'put yourself in the shoes of a student'. I know first hand the number of internships, networking and volunteering [events] I did as a student - it can be exhausting and deflating. Our aim is to help bridge the gap from industry to student. Be useful and informative, be kind and hopefully inspire people to get involved.

2) What do you think is the most interesting change or trend you've observed in the industry in 2022?

The idea of Liquid Reality - where there the new normal is an on/offline blur. How the metaverse and shared virtual spaces are upending old ways of living, earning, and connecting.

1) Why did you decide to join the AADC Executive Committee? What do you hope to achieve?

Diversity and Inclusion is a point of interest for me and I think the AADC having a focus on it is important so people from all walks of life feel comfortable being their true, authentic selves. I hope to help the AADC be a place for all members and for everyone to be able to contribute to our community.

2) What do you think is the most interesting change or trend you've observed in the industry in 2022?

Perhaps not new to 2022, but something I'm noticing more is brands introducing an aftermarket strategy and seeing this as an opportunity to add further value. Old products are being recycled, reused, repaired, refurbished, and resold, and new products are being created with end-of-life options built-in. Some interesting examples of this are The Iconic's new partnership with AirRobe where customers can now purchase and re-sell later. Or Big W launching toy recycling with TerraCycle. I'm really looking forward to seeing more brands thinking about and getting involved in the circular economy.

1) Why did you decide to join the AADC Executive Committee? What do you hope to achieve?

At the time I was handling the data side of the awards process, Anna Bardsley-Jones (then AADC Co President) invited me to join the Executive Committee so I could have a hand in shaping the club's tech platforms - since then I've been trying to minimise my workload by using products designed for the industry.

2) What do you think is the most interesting change or trend you've observed in the industry in 2022?

It used to be that it all happened in the office, but now what WFH is more common, content security for film/TV work is a bit more complex, but we get it done.

1) Why did you decide to join the AADC Executive Committee? What do you hope to achieve?

My main focus is on helping AADC to better engage with the design community here in Adelaide. First by expanding the design categories in the awards, and then to encourage design leaders to come to Adelaide to speak. So far it’s going well.

2) What do you think is the most interesting change or trend you've observed in the industry in 2022?

Visual identities being crafted with a ‘motion first’ approach, with sound being a very close second. It’s an exciting time for brand designers.

1) Why did you decide to join the AADC Executive Committee? What do you hope to achieve?

I was keen to help and support the industry that had already given me so much. I had been to quite a few social events the AADC had hosted many years ago and because of my usual solitary work, found they were a great way to stay connected and find out what everyone was up to. I wanted to make sure they kept running for future young people in the industry to help stay connected.

2) What do you think is the most interesting change or trend you've observed in the industry in 2022?

Not really a sudden observation, more like an ongoing one. With every passing year, our need or desire to stay connected and have a common place to share and celebrate our ideas and work seems to grow. Agencies and production companies are ever smaller, more nebulous and can easily become blinkered and isolated in our small local industry. It shows the importance of a body like the AADC.

1) Why did you decide to join the AADC Executive Committee? What do you hope to achieve?

The short answer is I had a coffee towards the end of 2020 with then Co-President Jamie Scott. It’d been awhile since our last chat, and he mentioned his involvement in AADC and it sounded interesting, so I attended the free drinks at the 2020 AGM at the Stag, and I was intrigued, so put my hand up to get involved. After a few months, and not sure what role I might take, I took the only one left, Partnerships. I thought I could bring great value to the role, the committee were a breath of fresh air from the AADC I’d experienced a few years back, and it sounded ‘fun.’

Square Holes has been a Gold Sponsor 2011 to 2013, as we valued the work of AADC and could see the huge role the Club could bring. Yet, to be honest, the vibe didn’t seem quite right for our research agency Square Holes to remain involved, the timing didn’t seem right. Skip forward nine years or so, and there is a great positive energy at AADC. A nice youthful energy, and balance balanced by a dose of experience from the likes of Marty Pepper who has been involved for decades, currently as Treasurer and provides a solid voice of financial responsibility, and has the systems and history ingrained in his soul. From my perspective, there is a real sense of changing of the old guard. Initiatives such as She Creates are amazing, empowering emerging and established females in the industry. Plus a real focus on wider diversity and positive change, including working with the universities and TAFE SA to engage with the future leaders. Clearly there is some baggage and even grumpy old leaders that comes with a changing of the guards, but even this is exciting. Awesome big thinking creative comes with a dose of friction.

Personally I don’t have any particular objective, just helping however I can. I’ve been working with the Adelaide advertising and design industry for more the 20 years doing research to guide and test campaigns, and it just interesting to be a fly on the wall at such an important time for the industry, a buoyant time post Covid crazy, making us all think about how we do what we do. In my Partnership role, I am keen to maintain relationships with our most valued existing sponsors, bring back sponsors who may have left like we did several years back, and I am doing a solid amount of work in attracting new sponsors keen to get involved in all the exciting things AADC is working on.

2) What do you think is the most interesting change or trend you've observed in the industry in 2022?

From our marketing and culture research perspective, the big trend we are loving is that Australia is not as homogeneous as most of our brands lead us to believe. The image of Australia as white and anglo, and having similar tastes and interests is simply no longer the case. It is scary and lazy how brands, big and small, marketers, media and agencies largely ignore Australia’s 30% of the population of only 26 Million who are migrants, and a further 20% with a least parent born overseas. Fundamental to marketers largely ignoring ‘non-typical’ Australians is often a lack of diversity within creative and design agencies, and marketing teams. Diversity brings creative thinking and opportunity for big fresh ideas. It is great to see AADC taking a lead role in changing the old narrative.

Somewhat related this this, it is great to see many creative and design agencies, freelance to larger groups, seeing opportunities beyond the small South Australian market. And, again AADC is helping to grow the sector to perform well on a global stage.

1) Why did you decide to join the AADC Executive Committee? What do you hope to achieve?

I was inspired to join AADC after meeting (former) Co Presidents Jamie Scott and Taylor Martin. They gave a shit about the industry, about the people, about the work, and how AADC can help make all three better.

I joined thinking I could bring my journalism background to the club. Help pitch to media and start getting the message out to the broader, South Australian community about the importance of creativity and the huge impact advertising and marketing can have on establishing new norms and pushing our economy forward.

2) What do you think is the most interesting change or trend you've observed in the industry in 2022?

Design systems and design thinking is really challenging the role of (and in some instances replacing) the “Big Idea” in advertising campaigns. Design has always been an important part of advertising, but it really seems to be the ‘sweet nothing’ marketers want to hear right now.