In this series, we’re taking a look at some of the most creative faces in Melbourne with some help from our friend Kathleen Gunther, who partners with independent agencies across Australia and New Zealand to scale their brand presence and drive sustainable growth. This week, we spoke with Dan Cookson, ECD of brand and experience agency, Weave.
1. How long have you been in Melbourne? If you weren’t born here, did you choose it or did it choose you?
Dan Cookson: I was born in Melbourne and grew up in Warrandyte, so Melbourne definitely chose me. In my twenties, I was fortunate enough to do a lot of overseas travel for work. Through that experience I got to ‘see’ Melbourne more clearly through the contrast of other world cities. So I definitely recommitted to Naarm as my home by choice.
2. What’s the most Melbourne thing about the way you or your team works?
DC: The most obvious one would be the rule of coffee before conversation. Everyone understands that no meetings can really happen before caffeine has entered the bloodstream. I have ADHD and took myself off Ritalin a few years ago. This placed an even greater importance on morning coffee for me and my brain to function. It’s not just a Melbourne ritual… for me it’s literally medication!
3. Who in the local industry has shaped the way you think about leadership or doing business? Tell us about them.
DC: I’ve always lamented the fact that I’ve never really had a definitive mentor, but I would perhaps say the closest would be my friend Matt Jones, Co-Founder of Four Pillars Gin. Matt is an incredibly gifted creative strategist and one of the smartest people I know. But the thing I admire most is his attitude. He has an amazing ability to remain positive in the face of a challenge and genuinely see problems as opportunities. I’ve seen him do it while building Four Pillars, and it’s a quality that’s had a big influence on both Maz and I as business owners.
4. What’s a moment you had to back your gut over ‘the safe choice’?
DC: Without sounding cliché, I would say almost everyday! I think most of us make quick decisions based on gut feeling, but that doesn’t mean those decisions are random. I’ve spent years refining my instincts simply by doing this job. Looking at design, judging creative work, presenting ideas, making business decisions. Usually my gut tells me the answer first, and rational thinking comes in afterwards to validate it or tweak it slightly. Our industry moves quick, and if you overanalyse every decision, you’ll never get anywhere. You have to trust your gut as a rule. Fortunately, after twenty years of doing this, mine is pretty good.
5. If your agency had a Melbourne walk-up song, what would it be and why?
DC: Maz would hate this song but I reckon “Shark Fin Blues by The Drones. Maybe an odd choice for a walk-up song, but running an independent creative business can feel a bit like this track. You’re constantly navigating uncertainty and solving problems that don’t have obvious answers, yet somehow you keep moving forward… fin by fin.
Kathleen Gunther is the founder of Gunther Consulting, partnering with independent agencies across Australia and New Zealand to scale their brand presence and drive sustainable growth. With expertise spanning digital marketing, brand strategy, PR and communications, she brings the pragmatism, specialist connections and industry know-how to help agencies market their most important client — themselves. Kathleen also serves as a Board Member of AWIA, actively shaping Australia’s digital landscape and championing inclusivity in the industry.
