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 Marty Drill, the founder and chief executive of Luminary.
1. How long have you been in Melbourne and if you weren’t born here, did you choose it or did it choose you?
Marty Drill: I’m Melbourne born and bred, which means AFL and black t-shirts is in the blood. While incessant tram dinging can get annoying, I think it is an amazing city and I still actively choose it every single day. I am lucky enough to travel a bit, so I get to avoid some of the cold weather.
2. What’s the most Melbourne thing about the way you or your team works?
MD: Our working style is the ultimate Melbourne paradox. Some team members will spend the whole day working from home, only to clock off, put on a leather jacket, and willingly commute into the CBD just to catch a gig at a sweaty indie band venue. We value distributed teams on video meetings, but music needs to be in person.
3. Who in the local industry has shaped the way you think about leadership or doing business? Tell us about them.
MD: I’d have to say my business partners, Andy and Adam. We’ve been steering this ship together for over 2 decades —which, in agency years, is basically a century. We each have a different approach to problem solving and they regularly teach me to be more analytical.
4. If you had your time again, would you be doing what you’re doing now?
MD: A resounding yes—but with a few tweaks. If I could jump into a time machine, I would tell my younger self to cut the hesitation, expand the business a hell of a lot earlier, and truly back myself as a marketer from day one. Imposter syndrome is a liar, and I wasted too much time listening to it. That being said, I still ended up exactly where I wanted to be, just with a lot more gray hairs (its turning white).
5. If you were a Melbourne landmark, what would you be?
MD: Never compared myself to a city landmark, so I will have to simply choose the one I love the most, the MCG. Partly because they are a client, partly because it’s the home of the Tigers and mostly because the ‘G is the ultimate symbol of what I love about this city. The personal comparison gets murky here as I would say that the G is massive, welcoming, legendary, and always willing to accommodate absolutely everyone.
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.
