Independent creative studio Rick Barry has expanded to Darwin having been appointed by Tourism & Events Northern Territory (TENT) following a competitive pitch.
The appointment sees Rick Barry tasked with refreshing the NT tourism brand and capturing the spirit that makes the Territory unlike anywhere else on earth.
The appointment followed a formal tender process launched earlier this year. TENT called on agencies to pitch for the brand refresh project.
Dozens of prospective tenderers were listed, including incumbent, KWP+Partners, as well as Howatson+Company, Leo, TBWA, WPP, Today The Brave, Havas and a host of others.
“The Northern Territory is a wellspring of rich storytelling, artistic talent and unique culture. We couldn’t imagine a better place to open our second home. From the Top End to the Red Centre, it’s the heart and soul of the Australian experience,” said Rick Barry co-founder Hugh Munro.
“It’s a place that rewards people who lean in and live it for themselves, we couldn’t be happier to be heading north with the team.”
Rick Barry established a Darwin office as part of the appointment, with work commencing immediately on brand strategy and the development of a new global brand platform. The work will be undertaken in close partnership with the Northern Territory tourism industry.
The refresh replaces ‘Different in Every Sense’, TENT’s consumer brand platform of the past seven years.
NT’s department of tourism and hospitality spent close to $25 million on marketing in 2025. The Territory Government allocated $88.3 million to tourism, events and screen production for the current financial year.
“The Visitor Economy Strategy 2032 sets an ambitious vision for growing visitation, increasing visitor expenditure and strengthening the Territory’s position as one of Australia’s most distinctive tourism destinations. Developing a refreshed Northern Territory brand is a critical part of bringing that vision to life,” Tourism and Events NT chief executive Suzana Bishop.
“We’re excited to be partnering with the Rick Barry team to help shape the next chapter of the Northern Territory’s story. Importantly, this work will be developed in close collaboration with our tourism industry, ensuring the future brand authentically reflects the people, places and experiences that make the Territory unlike anywhere else in the world.”
“It was a highly competitive pitch, with several top Australian agencies presenting impressive ideas and approaches. We were especially impressed by their understanding of what it takes to build a distinctive brand that can cut through in highly competitive global markets,” said Tourism and Events NT CMO Staci Mellman
“Our values are very much aligned, and so too is our desire for unorthodox, impactful thinking. The Rick Barry team demonstrated a proven ability to engage stakeholders throughout the brand-building process, bringing diverse voices together to create brands that people genuinely believe in and champion.
“This is an opportunity to create a globally relevant brand platform that captures the unique spirit of the Northern Territory and grows our position as one of the world’s most extraordinary travel destinations.”
The scope of work, which runs through to February next year, spans brand audit and discovery, brand strategy development, building out the new platform, and rolling it out to both internal stakeholders and external audiences. TENT’s tourism agency roster also includes media agency Atomic 212°.
The new brand platform is expected to be launched later in the year.
