BREAKING: Justin Drape Departs The Monkeys

One of the two founding creative partners behind Australian advertising success story The Monkeys, Justin Drape, has announced his departure.

You can read the full statement from The Monkeys below.

Originally called Three Drunk Monkeys, the agency was founded in 2006 when Scott Nowell, Mark Green and Drape quit Saatchi & Saatchi. Originally squatting in other agencies’ creative rooms, the business grew exponentially to be named B&T’s Agency of the Decade in 2019. It employs around 150 staff.

The Monkeys was acquired by Accenture for $63 million in May 2017.

B&T understands the decision to leave The Monkeys was made as far back as the first half of last year, but staff were only told moments ago today.

Full statement from The Monkeys

Co-founder and group chief creative officer Justin Drape is leaving The Monkeys, the company he co-founded in 2006 with Mark Green and Scott Nowell.

Since their inception as the Three Drunk Monkeys 15 years ago, Drape has been instrumental in growing the agency from the three founders to more than 150 people with offices based in Sydney and Melbourne.

The Monkeys, part of Accenture Interactive, has become a cultural creative force by creating critically acclaimed TV shows, charting songs, books, technology and ideas that have won awards and recognition at major award shows, including D&AD, Cannes, Clio, Webbys, AWARD, AACTA Awards, Logies & EY Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

On his departure from the agency, Drape said: “What has always made The Monkeys special, is the talented people who committed to shaping the agency’s culture, brand and story. The talented people who continually turn up and challenge the status quo with their creativity, intelligence and relentless belief in making provocative ideas happen. I want to thank all of them.”

The founders remain close, says Mark Green, co-founder and group CEO of The Monkeys and Accenture Interactive ANZ Lead: “We’ve been told more than once that to grow a business like ours you are going to experience great highs and lows and to get out the other side as friends is some kind of miracle. Yet here we are. We have been through so much together both from a business perspective and a personal perspective.”

The Monkeys co-founder and group chief creative officer, Scott Nowell, added: “We’ve been through so much together it’s hard to know where to start. I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved and even more so how we’ve done it. Anyone who’s worked with Justin will tell you he’s a force of nature and I’m excited to see what his next chapter brings.”

As for what’s next, Drape’s next endeavours will be revealed in due course.

The Monkeys has been named:

Campaign Brief Agency of the Year x 2

Campaign Asia Agency of the Year x 3

AdNews Creative Agency of the Year

AdNews NSW Agency of the Year x 5

AdNews Agency of the Year x 2

AdNews Independent Agency of the Year x 2

Mumbrella APAC Creative Agency of the Year x 2

Mumbrella Creative Agency of the Year x 2

Mumbrella Full Service Agency of the Year

Mumbrella Independent Agency of the Year

B&T Agency of the Year x 2

B&T Advertising Agency of the Year x 4

B&T NSW Agency of the Year

B&T Independent Agency of the Year x 2

2019 B&T Agency of the Decade.

In 2017 The Monkeys was acquired by Accenture Interactive.

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