Paprika Software, a global workflow platform trusted by more than 1000 agencies has announced Caroline Johnson as its new global growth manager.
Being immersed in the creative industries for more than 15 years, Johnson has the experience and talent to help Paprika Software continue its upright trajectory.
Paprika Software offers its agency clients a robust and flexible platform that maximises staff time and improves payment processing, essential in the constantly evolving environment.
“Margins are tighter, talent models are shifting, and the old ways of working don’t cut it anymore,” Johnson told B&T.
“Agencies don’t just need software, they need operational intelligence baked into the way they work, and partners who reflect how creative businesses really operate. That’s why I joined Paprika.
“Paprika faces the realities of today’s agency world, of meeting reduced client budgets and project-based work shifting into the new normal,” Johnson continued.
“[That shift] gives clients flexibility, but puts real pressure on agencies when it comes to scoping, pricing and resourcing.
“That pressure is especially visible in hybrid teams juggling multiple workflows. The biggest challenge? A lack of structure. Too many agencies still don’t have a consistent way to scope or price work. Should it be hourly, output-based, or productised? Without a clear framework, forecasting becomes guesswork and profit slips through the cracks.
“In a project-first world, clarity isn’t optional, it’s survival. Paprika helps agencies build that clarity in, supporting everything from traditional time-based billing to output- and value-based models.
“It gives teams the insight to scope smarter, price confidently, resource effectively and protect their margins—no matter how the brief comes in,” Johnson added.
In Johnson’s mind, the fiercest challenge facing agencies is scaling sustainability while margins are under pressure. Clients are demanding more but for less, making it harder to stay profitable as well as dedicating time to exploring new business avenues. With Paprika, agencies are able to automate some of their financial operations freeing staff from mundane tasks to focus on delivering for current clients or finding new ones.
The line between in-house agency and fractional freelance roles is also continuing to blur, creating new complexities in agency staffing.
All told, agencies face a heavier operational load as a result of trying to balance the quick-turnaround of content, manage hybrid-teams all whilst proving return on investment.
“I care deeply about this industry and the people in it. My job has always been about clearing the path so creative teams can do theirs,” explained Johnson on how she plans to attack these evolving challenges.
“When creatives aren’t bogged down by admin, they don’t just deliver, they invent. That’s the work that changes brands, and careers. That’s the space I want to help unlock.
“In a world increasingly captivated by automation and AI, it’s easy to forget that creativity is and always will be a deeply human condition. It’s powered by instinct, perspective, imagination, and yes, at times, fragility and emotion. No prompt can replicate a creative gut feel.
“I’m here to back the people bold enough to lead with ideas, not just execute briefs. Because staying creative isn’t just about staying inspired it’s about staying commercially viable. The future of creative work will always belong to those imaginative enough to shape it.
“My joining of Paprika feels particularly timely, especially in light of the recent S4 Capital news,” continued Johnson.
S4, the company owned by Sir Martin Sorrell that owns the Monks agency, has recently switched to output-based pricing, rather than the traditional agency head hours model. It’s a move that many in the industry have been calling for, now S4 has taken the plunge.
For Johnson, S4’s change is indicative of a broader shift in the market.
“AI is redrawing the economics of agency life. Agencies need systems built for where the industry is going not where it’s been,” she said.
“Back in 2020, I connected with Wesley ter Haar from Monks after reading Robin Bonn’s exceptional piece (“Stop paying agencies for their time and start paying for their output”) in Marketing Week interview on the need to move beyond time-based billing.”
“We shared that view, which led to Monks becoming a client for a time. Now, that conversation is back in the spotlight.”
Johnson herself stumbled into adland whilst looking for a fresh start. Her journey began by travelling more than 45 minutes each leg from Dorset in England’s southwest to Hammersmith—just outside London’s glittering West End—to help her friend scale a creative tech company.
After a treacherous 12 months of commuting through England’s Home Counties, Johnson decided to pack up her life and relocate to Australia to help grow the business. Ever since, she has been fully immersed in the world.
Along the way she has learnt some valuable lessons like what makes agencies thrive and where they struggle.
Now undertaking a position at Paprika, Johnson said she is looking forward to working closely with Nick Tomlinson who she has nothing but praise for. In particular in their longstanding friendship of over 10 years, it’s Tomlinson’s ethics and drive that has prompted Johnson to work alongside him. She also has the highest admiration for the fourth-decade business, which has a global reach of over 1,000 agencies.
To learn how Paprika Software can save your agency time and win you new clients, click here.
