Fast 10: Accenture Song’s Mark Green On Clients Getting “Addicted” To Winning Awards
Mark Green, owner and CEO of The Monkeys and President ANZ of Accenture Song (centre above), is, as you can imagine, a very busy man.
Fortunately, Greg ‘Sparrow’ Graham has one very fast interview series and was able to tie Green down for just long enough to get his view on award-winning ads, challenging the status quo and, perhaps most importantly, his new soccer team.
1. The Monkeys were born in 2006, how do you keep the momentum and the quality of the work so high?
We always want to see the best work of our careers in front of us and to never look backwards. That way we need to see evidence that the work that defines us is world-class and that we are never resting on our laurels. Last year will be tough to beat but we have some amazing work for Sydney Opera House, Telstra, MLA and ASB that looks like having a strong showing on the world stage. At the end of the day we love what we do and our whole mission is to make provocative ideas happen. We live by this and are motivated by creativity and its impact on business.
2. What’s your number one priority for the year ahead?
Proving the value of creativity, technology and innovation in driving sustainable customer growth for business in ANZ.
3. Congrats on Accenture Song’s outstanding re-appointment of NRMA Insurance, can you share why you won?
We put together a whole of customer, vision and strategy to drive sustainable growth for the NRMA business. The mission is to bring creativity, innovation and technology to the NRMA brand and ensure its relevance for the next 100 years. We will bring the best of Accenture Song globally to this opportunity including leading Australians including David Droga, Nick Law and Neil Heymann.
4. Some of your award-winning work taps into cultural moments — or in the case of MLC creates them. How do you keep topping this every year?
We look at the strategic opportunity for every brand through the lens of culture, category, competition and consumer. The way to get an exponential share of attention is to double down on the brand connection to culture and find new ways to harness the zeitgeist to create added impact. For every major opportunity, we work the connection between the brand and culture to find interesting ways to give our creative ideas the best hope of succeeding beyond the media investment. We have achieved this for many years across a whole range of different brands and it proves our mission to make provocative ideas happen.
5. I’m sure your Awards cabinet is full — how important are awards to clients?
Clients love seeing their work win on the world stage – both creative and effectiveness awards. Once they get a taste of success we often find that they demand it more and more and they get addicted to the thrill of seeing their work win and being discussed in both creative and business circles. I think in any environment aiming to be the best is only helpful in raising the bar and elevating the quality of the work you do.
6. Making provocative ideas happen needs a brave client and trust. How do you navigate both?
We try and take the risk out of the equation by setting up the strategic opportunity for every brief for every brand. When the work hits the strategic narrative then it becomes a judgment call on the work itself and I truly believe that if you have a track record in creating groundbreaking work, you have greater credibility to convince clients. Furthermore, clients are attracted to agencies with a track record. Both of these factors garner trust and they also take out the risk because it is coming from a more strategic foundation.
7. As a long-term industry leader, what’s the one thing you would like to change in our industry for the future?
I would love for our industry to reclaim the important role that creativity plays in driving growth and business outcomes. I would love for us to focus on creativity — not just advertising — and to be bolder in our influence with the C-Suite.
8. You have a great cross-section of clients across retail, travel, services and finance, etc. What is their perspective of the year ahead?
David Droga said in a recent interview quoting Ayrton Senna, “You cannot overtake fifteen cars when it’s sunny, but you can when it is raining”. The business environment is always challenging for one reason or another but that smells like opportunity to me and the brave clients recognise this as well.
9. Can you share with us something that’s not on your LinkedIn profile?
I just signed up for UNSW Football’s (Soccer to some) over-45 team.
10. Do your parents know what you actually do?
No idea, although they love(d) our lamb ads!
Check out the rest of the Fast 10 series here:
- Fast 10: Wavemaker’s Peter Vogel On Pitching, Unwinding & Frustrating Bureaucracy
- Fast 10: Bullfrog’s Dalton Henshaw On Mohair Suits & Not Running A Self-Serving Agency
- Fast 10: B&T Chats Building Trust With Publicis Groupe & Spark Foundry’s Imogen Hewitt
- Fast 10: Social Soup’s Sharyn Smith Sits Down With Sparrow
- Fast 10: Atomic 212°’s Claire Fenner On Marketers’ Mixed Messages & Being Creative in 2024
- Fast 10: AANA’s Josh Faulks On Christmas Presents, Exercise & Ad Bans
- Fast 10: B&T Chats Marketing & The Future With The Marketing Academy’s Sherilyn Shackell
- Fast 10: Ogilvy’s Sally Kissane On Winning Gongs & Zinger Burgers!
- B&T Grabs Fast 10 Questions With Mike Rebelo!!
- B&T’s Fast 10 Questions With Rose Herceg!
Latest News
Enjoy A Hahn Solo… And May The Fourth Be With You
This May the fourth Hahn will celebrate alongside Star Wars fans rewarding their passion via a giant Hahn travelling solo through the sky. It’s the one day of the year when all sci-fi fans rejoice and giggle to themselves and Hahn in partnership with Thinkerbell, UM and Affinity is celebrating with an out of this […]
DMARGE Founder Unveils Creator-Led Social Media Agency Feedstar
New creator-led social media agency Feedstar to be aimed directly at Gen Zs. Well, they'd hardly want print, would they?
TV Ratings (02/05/2024): A total of 1,753,000 Aussies Witness Port Adelaide’s Defeat
Seven's AFL numbers almost double that of the NRL last night. The NRL still easily winning for ruptured ACLs.
Hotglue Cashes In With La Trobe Financial Digital Media Account
Hotglue staffers learning their cashflows from their collaterals today after nabbing La Trobe Financial's digital media.
M&C Saatchi’s Sydney Creative Lead Exits
B&T's stopping short of calling it a revolving door at M&C at the present, but there's definitely heat on the hinges.
Taylor Swift’s Music Re-Enters TikTok As Universal Pens Landmark Deal
Yes, B&T may have spent 152 hours failing to get Taylor Swift tickets, but, as you'll read here, it's all behind us now.
HAVAS Red launches inaugural Influencer White Paper
Havas Red has debuted its first influencer white paper. Unless you print it out in colour, of course.
Two Sides Global Campaign Reports Increasing Greenwashing As Organisations Focus On Sustainability
New report confirms greenwashing's on the rise. Apparently Mars' 'work, rest & play' claims also under investigation.
Aruga Launches New HQ & Changed Ownership Structure
PR agency Aruga proves Brisbane is 'so hot right now'. So hot in fact, Adelaide's had to go on anti-anxiety meds.
Delicious & American Express Partner To Launch Month Out 2024 In Sydney
Cost of living got you eating noodles prepared in the two-minute style? Why not live vicariously through this.
Aussie Ad Market Continues Decline In March
The belt-tightening in adland shows signs of a turnaround soon. Bar the belt-loosening at the all-you-can-eat buffet.
VMA Focuses On Skills And Training For Members
If there was a post-COVID hangover (bar the anti-vax ranters) it was the rise in skills shortages. Here's another one.
Nearly 90% Of Consumers Want Transparency About AI Images, Finds Getty Images Report
Study finds consumers want transparency around AI images. Couldn't care less about photoshopped magazine covers.
The National Breast Cancer Foundation Partners With VML To Boost Funds
Anyone else feel we've exhausted the office morning tea for cancer? B&T proposes the office moonshine still instead.
Perry ‘Pez’ Lazaris Named New National Hit Network Announcer
Why is it mandatory for the media to only publish the nicknames of people in radio & underworld crime figures?
Before Adland: Garry Dawson’s Journey From Teacher To Marketer
Here, the Hopeful Monsters marketer talks his shift from the classroom to the room wherever marketers congregate.
Scott Cam Urges Tradies To Prioritise Sun Protection
The Block host promoting sun protection to tradies. Also, don't try getting into the RSL after 6pm wearing high viz.
PubMatic Study: Advertising On Retail Media Is 50% More Effective Than Social Media
New study finds retail media 50% more effective than social. B&T says two-for-one Tim Tams trumps the lot.
From MOWING to life GROWING: Jim Penman launches ‘Life Coaching’ services
Can't decide on getting the hedges trimmed or finding a deeper meaning to life? You're in luck with this new venture.
Budweiser Brazil Turns Songs That Name Drop The Iconic Brand Into Spotify Ads
It's strange that Budweiser never found a market among beer-swilling Aussies. Then again, neither did the fluffy duck.
Effie Worldwide Strengthens Board With 6 New Members
B&T hopes everyone's wearing their Maseur sandals at the Effies, as it's standing room only at the next board meeting.
Special Enlist A Penguin Named Nigel In Latest Energy Campaign For Contact
Special unveils Nigel the penguin in work for energy provider Contact. Apparently Percy the peacock was booked.
Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth & George Miller Ignite Sydney For Epic Mad Max Launch
The Mad Max film franchise is Australia's cinematic gift to the world. That & Chris Hemsworth's near perfect cheekbones.
IAS Launches First-To-Market Integration With Roblox To Provide 3D Immersive Measurement
Always thought you could do with better 3D immersive measurement? Happy days are ahead here.
Fast And Furious: Top Gear Australia Launch Thrilled Motorheads, Car Entusiasts And Guests
B&T is still no closer to knowing who the new Stig is, except that she is a woman and a ridiculously fast.
TV Ratings (02/05/2024): Seven’s The 1% Club Wins The Night
The 1% club did not live up to its name when it comes to TV ratings last night.
TRA Welcomes Raft Of New Hires; Bolstering Expertise Across Markets
Insights and research agency TRA announces slew of new hires. Still no news on the return of marble wash denim, however.
CX Lavender Hires Boston Consulting Group’s Kim Verbrugghe as Chief Strategy Officer
CX Lavender announces new strategy hire and channels 'acoustic folk act at local RSL' for the publicity pic.
Opinion: Community standards, will they be the death of us?
This columnist is talking community standards. Sadly not those people who put dogs in trolleys in supermarkets.
Tegel gets heads bobbing with new free-range chicken platform
Sure, there's a lot of moral considerations when buying a chook. Yet, not as baffling as buying eggs or canned tuna.
Study: 66% of Aussie men believe masculinity is under attack
Two-thirds of Aussie blokes say masculinity's under attack. That said, sales of Solo lemon drink appear robust.
‘Equal Writes’: Canyon reveals new campaign and refreshed brand for women and non-binary writers
As this brand redesign again proves, nothing beats black on white. Well, white on black in this instance.
Icon Agency bolsters consumer and integrated offer with major hires
Icon Agency unveils new recruits. As press photo confirms office moustache competition now a lay-down misère.
Clemenger launches agricultural graduate program
Has Farmer Wants A Wife triggered an interest in dagging & hay balers? This grads program may resonate.
Levi’s Appoint UM As Global Media Agency For $217m Account
Levi's are the jeans for rockstars, models & the cool kids. Although that's not stopped dads from ruining their image.
QMS Nabs Sean Rigby From oOh!media
Things set to get spicy at the next Outdoor Media Association dinner and dance as a rival gets poached.