Kieran Moore is one of Australia’s most experienced public relations leaders, having most recently served as the CEO of public relations, government relations, experiential and design for WPP AUNZ, following a six-year stint as the CEO of Ogilvy PR.
Now as the director and principal at comms and reputation management consultancy Brangwin and Moore, which she founded with fellow ex-WPP leader Katrina Brangwin, Moore and Brangwin pride themselves on giving clients “the ultimate in accountability, experience and superior client service.”
Speaking on behalf of the Experience Advocacy Taskforce, Moore explained to B&T why it is just as important for agencies to hang onto the more experienced members of staff, rather than chucking them out for new ones.
B&T: Why is it important for the advertising industry to embrace experience and experienced members of staff as much as it embraces newness?
Kieran Moore: No client has ever said to me: “Give me more junior people on my account – those with less experience, less credibility and those that have lived less!”
It’s a no-brainer. When you think about other professions – law, medicine, business, accountancy, engineering, science, experience is valued. Ageism, rampant in advertising and communications, is a corrosive force in our industry. It exists because some people operate under the flawed assumption that older employees are less capable, adaptable, and connected to the cultural zeitgeist than their younger colleagues. This discrimination should never be normalised.
Our industry often faces criticism for not reflecting the diverse voices we aim to engage. This won’t change without diverse teams behind the work.
With experience comes rich networks, cultivated over years, which are invaluable in any profession, especially ours. Contrary to stereotypes, older employees are highly flexible and committed to lifelong learning with the confidence that comes with age to embrace new things.
B&T: B&M is run by “experienced, straight-talking women, experts in the fields of communication and reputation management”. Why is it important to stress being experienced and straight-talking?
KM: As an industry, we have done an excellent job of overcomplicating what we do. We over-intellectualise, use too much jargon and add layers of complexity that get in the way of the work.
Katrina and I have over 65 years of agency experience and we knew that there was a better way to serve clients when we set up Brangwin & Moore. Our value proposition is refreshingly simple: two smart experienced women working directly on our clients’ businesses. Our clients get exactly what it says on the tin. We do the work. No egos, no juniors, no complexity, and no swirl.
Who wouldn’t want the benefit of 65 years’ experience and the care and attention that only owner-operators provide? Clients love our straightforward approach without agency overheads or distractions from shareholders, bureaucracy, and corporate politics.
We set up our business to get back “on the tools,” closer to the work we love — cracking briefs, building trusted relationships, and being both creative and strategic. Our experience allows us to give fearless, straight-talking advice in the best interests of our clients.
One client told us recently that they love what we offer because “we do the hard stuff” and they call us when they can’t crack something themselves. We also hear a lot that people partner with us because they need “grownups” to work with their boss, shareholders, stakeholders, or Board. Our experience means credibility and credibility means low risk.
B&T: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given by someone in the industry and by whom?
KM: The best advice was from a mentor, old boss and friend, former head of PR for Ogilvy in Asia, Scott Kronick who said to me that clients need to trust that you have their best interests at heart.
This often means giving tough advice, even if it’s not what they want to hear or walking away from a project. When people know that you’re honest and dedicated to their success, they become lifelong colleagues and returning clients, because trust always brings them back.
And that advice sits very well with me. Integrity is crucial. For Katrina and me, our shared values bind us as partners and guide our business.
B&T: What change in the industry has surprised you most over your career?
AI. No question.
What’s truly astonishing is how rapidly it’s being adopted – especially Generative AI – which is reshaping our entire industry. Working closely with tech giants like Microsoft, we are seeing firsthand the AI revolution.
At a recent event, I realised that I was witnessing the biggest shift in my 40-year career. My message to everyone in the industry: Get up to speed on AI’s impact (and fast). It’s changing the game.
And it’s not just new AI skills, it’s a mindset shift. Katrina and I know that we must continue to up the ante on our human-only skills: human ingenuity; strategic thinking; emotional intelligence; and judgement.
B&T: Where do you see your career heading and developing over the coming years?
I see my career heading in the same impactful direction that we have set for B&M. From raising the profile of modern slavery in the supply chain to championing regenerative agriculture and space exploration, we’ve done it all. Our work spans supporting free-to-air TV to advising companies on change management and creating thought leadership platforms for some of our nation’s best thinkers.
I thrive on purpose, not on ridiculous age limits some might impose. Loving what I do, solving tricky communication challenges and forging deep connections drives me.
Being in charge of our own destiny makes working surprisingly calm. And this means working in a no dickhead zone which is as exhilarating as it is emancipating.
Ageism can’t hold me back; tapping into experience is vital for industry growth. And, if anyone says I’m too old, well, they can bite me.
