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Starcom
Team PROFILE
Agency Type
Media
Ownership
Publicis Groupe
tagline
Focus For Growth
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Matt Houltham
CEO
Louise Romeo
Chief commercial & operations officer
Scott McCaffrey
Chief client & growth officer
Roger Lintzeris
National head of strategy
Jacqui Purcell
National head of planning
Rebecca Weatherall
Head of people & culture
Paul Hartley
Finance director
Key Stats
Offices
Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide
Headcount
110+
Gender Balance Staff
M: 35%
F: 65%
Gender Balance Leaders
M: 60%
F: 40%
RECMA Compitches
B
RECMA Qualitative Evaluation
Good
Client book
Client Wins
3
Client Losses
0
Client retentions/extensions
7
Largest clients
Metcash
P&G
TPG
Trophy Cabinet
MFA Awards
B&T Women in Media Awards
Agency Scorecards report
After losing its lead singer at the end of 2024, Starcom spent the first half of the year without a frontman until former Havas and Naked boss Matt Houltham stepped into the spotlight.
It is testament to star performers such as Louise Romeo and Scott McCaffrey that the agency continued to motor and slowly build momentum in a year of rebuilding and reinvigoration.
Starcom lost no clients, and retained or extended seven accounts, including the likes of P&G, TPG, Air New Zealand, Metcash and Tourism Tasmania.
The agency only added three new accounts, including one of its larger clients in HBF Health, but this showcases an agency with strong foundations considering they were looking for a leader for half of the time.
During the year, Starcom evolved its ways of working, expanding its digital capabilities in commerce, performance and Adtech, and launching the Starcom Growth Index, a suite of consulting solutions to help clients navigate the future.
Starcom’s work and people were recognised across the industry. Major wins included MFA Best Use of Search (Air New Zealand) and MFA Best Data Led Activation (Metricon), alongside finalist and shortlist recognition across key Australian award programs.
Work that caught the eye at B&T HQ included a multi-channel Lego F1 campaign that connected Lego play with digital gaming and out of home.
The agency’s band members also received accolades in a range of programs and awards, including winning the B&T Women in Media People’s Choice Award, being recognised as a CEO Magazine Women of Influence 2025, being named on The Trade Desk Innovators List 2025, and being shortlisted for Campaign Asia’s Women Leading Change.
Hightlights reel
LEGO f1: 'From Grandstands to your Hands'
This campaign marked the launch of a first-of-its-kind global partnership between LEGO and Formula 1, with Australia and New Zealand chosen as the opening markets due to Melbourne hosting the first race of the 2025 F1 season.
The challenge was to introduce the collaboration with enough cultural impact to match the scale and excitement of F1, while translating a traditionally premium sport into something playful, accessible and hands-on for kids and families. This was not just a product launch, but a live test of the global LEGO F1 concept.
The core insight was that while most fans experience F1 as a fast, loud and exclusive spectacle from afar, LEGO has the unique ability to bring that thrill directly into people’s hands. The media idea, “From the Grandstands to Your Hands”, reframed F1 from an event you watch to an activity you can build, customise and play with. The strategy focused on putting fans in the driver’s seat by turning spectators into participants and shifting the experience from passive viewing to active creation.
The media strategy was executed across three interconnected layers: Awareness, Consideration and Purchase.
High impact urban spectacles like LEGO F1 tram wraps, custom bus shelters and large scale retail OOH stopped people in their tracks. Digital play experiences, including a mobile mini game and in-game Minecraft integrations, deepened engagement. At the moment of peak passion around race weekend, LEGO Fan Zones, proximity OOH and retail takeovers converted excitement directly into sales.
Hightlights reel
BEGA: ‘Whipped Peanut Butter Cloud Cafe'
The Bega Whipped Peanut Butter Cloud Café was created to launch Australia’s first whipped peanut butter and re-position the category from a breakfast staple to an all-day, feel-good food.
While Bega Peanut Butter is a trusted Australian icon, growth required shifting perceptions and usage occasions. The launch needed to feel like more than a traditional product campaign. It needed a cultural moment that could spark curiosity, drive trial, and make peanut butter feel new again.
The insight driving the work was a broader cultural shift towards a ‘softer life’, with Australians craving comfort, joy and ease in response to an increasingly heavy world. Whipped Peanut Butter’s light, fluffy texture aligned perfectly with this mood.
The central idea brought this insight to life through the Whipped Cloud Café, a whimsical three-day pop-up at Melbourne’s Federation Square that allowed people to taste and ‘feel’ the softness of the product, with outdoor lounges and cushions. The experience was designed to be playful, immersive and highly shareable, anchoring the product’s texture and versatility in a tangible way.
The campaign united Bega’s internal teams with Publicis Groupe’s partners across media, activation, PR and influencer marketing.
Starcom Australia led media strategy and orchestration, ensuring the activation lived well beyond the physical event through large format OOH, radio, influencer amplification and earned media.
We even made café visitors famous by broadcasting their selfies live to the iconic Melbourne billboard on the Young & Jackson, opposite the event. Every channel worked together to extend reach, fuel conversation and reinforce a single cohesive story.
Starcom's take on 2025
In 2025, Starcom Australia converted momentum into sustained, all‐round performance across commercial results, client relationships, product development and people growth.
Commercially, we surpassed all financial targets, building on strong 2024 momentum while evolving how we work. We expanded digital capability across commerce, and enhanced our data, performance and consulting offering.
Client success was exceptional: 100% retention, multiple renewals entering a second decade, our scope expanded with over a third of clients, and multiple new client wins. We deepened trust as partnerships grew.
Our people powered this success. Headcount increased, engagement remained strong, and we invested heavily in DE&I initiatives, leadership growth and learning across craft, AI and soft skill areas. We achieved lower than average churn [MFA 2025] and were recognised as one of the happiest media agencies in Sydney.
Our people earned extensive industry recognition for their individual talent, while our work was recognised by industry awards.
2025 will be remembered as a year where people, product and performance came together to further accelerate momentum.
Scott McCaffrey, Chief Client & Growth Officer
He exemplifies Starcom Australia’s determined, collaborative spirit. He has led by example, fostering client partnerships, inspiring teams, driving growth and demonstrating excellence across every part of the business.
If we were a band, we'd be...
The Avalanches
We are pulling signals from everywhere (culture, category, audience behaviour, first‐party data) and turning them into work that feels fresh and deeply engaging.
Like The Avalanches, we’re distinctive, progressive, imaginative and exceptional at remixing what exists into something new and commercially sharp.
Starcom
B&T's Agency Score
7.5
Previous season: 7.5
Critic's Comment
“Starcom is starting to find their groove after spending much of the year without a lead singer. One to watch for 2026.”