With some help from our friend Kathleen Gunther, we’re taking a look at some of the most creative minds in Melbourne. Gunther partners with independent agencies across Australia and New Zealand to scale their brand presence and drive sustainable growth. This week, we’re chatting with Manifest’s co-founder and managing director, Isabel Thomson-Officer.
1. How long have you been in Melbourne? If you were not born here, did you choose it or did it choose you?
I am Melbourne born and bred – a Mercy baby in fact. I grew up in Northcote way before it was cool, when High Street was lined with pawnbrokers and you heard more Greek on the street than English. But I’ve also lived and gone to school in Prahran so I’ve straddled both sides of the river. The north/south divide is a thing. Southsiders will happily travel north, Northsiders will go anywhere except south. I am unusual in that I have an affinity for both, but I probably lean north if I’m honest. Sitting in that middle ground has shaped how I see the world and how I work.
2. What is the most Melbourne thing about the way you or your team works?
We are always championing art in everything we do. That is probably the most Melbourne thing about us. If there is an opportunity to workshop in a piece of art or collaborate with an artist, we jump at the chance. Our breastfeeding mural Breastralia in collaboration with artist Caroline Lejeune for Tommee Tippee is still hands down one of my favourite campaigns I’ve ever worked on. A close second was the time we strung a clothesline above Degraves Street featuring trade uniforms with student aspirations printed on them to encourage the city to see vocational education in a new elevated light. Art is not an add on, it is part of how we think.
More broadly, it is that intersection of culture and craft. We are not interested in work that just fills a feed. It has to mean something, earn its place, and contribute to culture in a genuine way.
3. Who in the local industry has shaped the way you think about leadership or doing business? Tell us about them.
A few people have really influenced me at different stages.
Ed Charles was one of the first. An original voice in Melbourne’s food scene back when I was working at MoVida while I was still studying communications. He instinctively understood the role of culture, community, and storytelling in cuisine long before those words became overused industry jargon. That stayed with me.
Sarah McGregor is someone I have a lot of respect for. As a fellow senior leader and working mum, I have turned to her for advice and support and she has never disappointed. She brings clarity, pragmatism, and a level of generosity to the industry that we just need more of.
And I can’t work in a creative agency without mentioning Adam Ferrier – literally the embodiment of a mad scientist. I admire his no compromises approach to his work. You either love him or hate him, and while I don’t know him personally, it seems he is completely fine with that. There is something very admirable in being that clear in your point of view. I do appreciate a zero f*cks given attitude.
4. What has you most excited about where the industry is heading locally?
There is a real shift towards substance. Audiences are more discerning and expect more from brands, and that is a good thing. The work needs to be culturally relevant, responsible, and actually interesting.
At the same time, the lines between PR, brand, content and experience are disappearing. That convergence plays to Melbourne’s strengths. It is a city that values thinking as much as execution, and where creativity is often grounded in something real and entertaining. I think we will see more work that lives beyond a single channel and genuinely becomes part of how people experience a brand. All you need to do is stroll around the Aus Open or the F1 to see that the sport has become almost secondary to the brand experiences built around them, often with no expense spared.
5. If you were a Melbourne landmark, what would you be?
Hosier Lane. I love the cobblestones, the ever changing artwork, and the amazing food tucked around it. It is never static. It is layered, expressive, and constantly evolving. There is always something new to discover, yet it still feels deeply rooted in the identity of the city. That mix of creativity, unpredictability, and culture feels about as Melbourne as it gets.
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.
