From turning everyday Aussies into campaign stars to sending Robert Irwin viral in a pair of briefs, Kedda Ghazarian is leading Bonds into a whole new era.
A Melbourne-based brand marketer and digital native with more than 10 years’ experience in fashion and beauty retail, she’s passionate about building inclusive, impactful campaigns—and isn’t afraid to do things differently.
Now heading up marketing at Bonds, Ghazarian recently oversaw the brand’s As Worn By Us platform, a celebration of real Australians from newborns to centenarians, and helped launch the brand into the US with a campaign that got everyone talking (and clicking).
From smart media mix modelling to reimagining OOH, she’s balancing innovation with authenticity—and having a lot of fun doing it.
CMOs to Watch, presented by Zenith, spotlights the visionaries leading the charge. This series delves into the strategies and perspectives of CMOs who are setting new standards, pushing boundaries, and driving impact in ways that redefine what it means to be a leader in marketing today.
Chatting with B&T, Ghazarian opened up about her favourite campaigns, the rise of AI in marketing, and why jingles might be making a comeback.
B&T: Let’s get to know you… What three things would you take to a desert island?
Ghazarian: A superyacht (duh), my dog Yoghurt and SPF of course.
B&T: Favourite album, movie and book?
Ghazarian: I’m really going to sound like a millennial cliché here…
Album: Brat by Charli XCX
Movie: 10 Things I Hate About You
Book: Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
B&T: What is your passion outside of work? (Think hobbies, sports, etc) and please send us a photo of you doing it!
Ghazarian: I’m a big fan of basketball (watching not playing). And shopping – does that count?!
B&T: If you weren’t a CMO, what would you be doing?
Ghazarian: A food critic. Paid to eat? Sign me up!
B&T: What was your favourite campaign of all time?
Ghazarian: An oldie but a goodie… Sick ‘em rex. I might be biased to the underwear category – but this ad had all the ingredients of an instantly iconic spot – simple, tongue in cheek, and so unexpected.
B&T: Now let’s talk shop. What is your brand’s top priority for the next 12 months?
Ghazarian: Global domination! We just launched Bonds into the US and it’s an exciting new adventure for the brand as we introduce comfy undies to our mates in the States.
B&T: What channel is exciting you the most and how do you split your marketing budgets between long/short and channels mix?
Ghazarian: I’m most excited by brands that are showing up in unexpected places and thinking differently about their media investment to surprise & delight or give back to the fans. OOH can be a very traditional medium, but there are so many interesting ways to disrupt – from airport trays, to recycling initiatives that turn billboards into bags. When it comes to how we split our marketing budgets, we use the insights from media mix modelling to guide our investment.
B&T: What is the biggest challenge you currently face in the marketplace?
Ghazarian: Navigating AI marketing tools and all their infinite possibilities, particularly for a brand that’s famous for its authenticity. This is such an interesting new frontier, but finding the right way to leverage this technology is a whole new world – and one that should not be rushed.
B&T: What campaign are you most proud of?
Ghazarian: We launched our brand platform, As Worn By Us, last year and it was a huge labour of love. The campaign was a proud reflection of the simple truth that Bonds can be found in almost every Aussie’s undie or sock drawer. Bringing these connections to life took us all over the country, with 103 everyday Aussies from newborn to 100 years old participating in the campaign. So many people invited us into their lives and in many cases, stripped down to their undies. Seeing the authentic love out there for Bonds was something to behold and spectacular proof that it really is the brand as worn by us. Oh, and breaking the internet with Robert Irwin was pretty cool too.
B&T: Where do you see yourself in five years time?
Ghazarian: Hopefully making great work that inspires, excites and gets people talking. As long as I’m still learning, I know I’ll still be working in marketing.
B&T: Zenith is the presenting partner of B&T’s CMOs to Watch list. The agency takes a predictive view when it comes to industry perspectives. They’d like to know your prediction for marketing in the next 12 months.
Ghazarian: The return of jingles! Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking… but there’s something to be said for a great earworm, particularly in the age of TikTok.
Check out the other instalments in the CMOs To Watch series here:
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: How Intrepid Travel’s Louise Laing Is Using AI & Adventure To Reimagine Travel Marketing
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: From Ski Slopes To C-Suite, Superloop’s Ben Colman Is Picking Up Speed
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: ING’s Danielle Hamilton’s Lion-Hearted Marketing Approach
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: From Backpackers To Brand Builders – How Welcome To Travel’s Darryl Newby Is Redefining Youth Tourism
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Asahi’s Jemma Downey On Brewing Creativity & Crafting Brand Growth
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: How Tourism Tasmania’s Lindene Cleary Keeps The Bottom Of Australia Top Of Mind
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Lisa Little-Cain On Bushwalks, Big Ideas & Brand Brilliance At Aldi
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: How Shad Haehae Is Raising The Marketing Bar & Raising His Daughter Along The Way
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Super Mum & Coles Super Marketer, Alex Piercy
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Telstra’s Alita McMenamin On Brand, Balance & The Power Of Family
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: 28 Group’s Tim White On Storytelling, Social Media & Sport
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Meet Zach Kitschke, Full Time Canva CMO, Part Time Snowboarding Superstar
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Meet Peita Golden, Telco Marketing Boss, Footy Fanatic & Future Pub Owner
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Peter Chapman On Driving Reflections Holidays’ Brand Transformation & Reimagining Camping
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Gardening & Dinner Parties, How Vinyl Group’s Alli Galloway Finds Peace Outside Of The Roaring Live Music Scene
- CMO’s To Watch, Presented By Zenith: The Little Joys Behind Michelle Rowling’s Thrilling Life At Luna Park
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Hawthorn FC’s Dan Hamer’s Next Big Partnership
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: DrinkWise’s Part Time Builder, Part Time Marketer, Nathan Kent
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Mountain Culture’s Out Of This World Bradley Firth
