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5 minutes with... in association withAdobe Firefly
Group745

5 Minutes with… Simon Joyce

22/02/2023
Advertising Agency
Sydney, Australia
420
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The CEO and founder of Emotive speaks to LBB’s Delmar Terblanche about how he put together a creative company with a difference, and what the future holds for his team


Simon Joyce is the CEO and founder of Emotive, an independent creative company creating ideas that change the way people feel about brands.

Part ad agency, part production company, part brand experience and earned media specialist, Emotive makes ideas that live across advertising, entertainment, experiences, products and design. 

With a HQ on Coogee Beach, Emotive is uniquely structured, bringing senior teams together to respond to clients’ business needs effectively and collaboratively, rather than default to ‘traditional comms’ as the answer.

A Chief Executive Officer at public company level, Simon has extensive experience in creative strategy, creative, production, media amplification, commercial and business leadership gained over 20 years in the advertising industry. 

Simon has been recognised by the industry on numerous occasions including being named in the Ad News Top 40 under 40, The Australian Music Directory Power 50, and twice shortlisted by Mumbrella for Industry Leader of the Year. 

He has a long history of leading big ideas including the much talked about Optus Ricky Gervais anti-ad series; the Lynx Australia ‘Find your Aussie magic’ campaign; and the Audible ‘Said I read you but I lied’ campaign starring Michael Bolton. He is also highly credentialed in the online video space and was instrumental in launching Vevo in Australia in 2011. 

He is a passionate business leader with a disciplined approach to creating big ideas that lead to quantifiable results alongside a strong desire to inspire and excite the best people.


LBB> Tell us about your background. Was there a moment in your young life that made you want to work in the industry?


Simon> I’ve always loved advertising. And maybe that was because I grew up in a household that didn’t have a TV for six years, so big ads were a link to something that I was craving. From an early age, I remember Coke ads and how they made me feel, and I think that early spark ultimately led me to the creative agency game.   

And uniquely for a creative agency founder, post-university I went on to work in a media business that focused on music content across radio, digital and TV. We were early pioneers in brand-funded content and it was during that time that my passion for creating unexpected ideas for brands went to the next level.

 

LBB> You founded Emotive in 2015. What made you decide to put together your own agency?


Simon> I was fortunate enough to have nine months gardening leave after wrapping up my media gig in late 2013 where I had been CEO for six years. After interacting with creative agencies through large brand-funded music events, I felt there was an opportunity to bring a more entertainment-focused creative agency into the market. One that was more audience centric  and intimately understood the digital landscape. 

The agency kicked off in content. Smart strategy, big ideas, but executed without the constraints of regular advertising – the goal essentially was to create entertainment, not interruption and execute purely through film (as the most immersive and powerful way for brands to emotionally connect). Of course, over the years, the agency quickly transformed from a specialist content player into the integrated creative agency it is today.

Beyond that, the other driver was the fact that I love building businesses. I love the challenge of disrupting an environment and the feeling of collectively succeeding when many don’t think you will. And creating a culture of belief and ownership right across the team …where caring for each other and the work is baked into the DNA is incredibly rewarding.   

 

LBB> Tell us about the philosophy you brought to Emotive from day one?


Simon> There are a couple of standout points from day one that are still very much part of how we roll today. Firstly, creative culture. We wanted to build an environment that was truly additive, where anyone can talk to anyone, where ego doesn’t get in the way of the work and collaboration comes naturally. We knew that culture is what unlocks people to thrive and have more fun at work. So, the rigour we put into recruitment to ensure that culture is always maintained has been vital. Quite simply that cultural alignment is a non-negotiable - that and getting the most talented people in the market.

The other area that stands out from day one is hiring creatives that understand advertising, not just purely advertising creatives. So most of our CDs are multi-skilled with a genuine side hustle. Whether that’s getting a book published, running a flower business, having the skills to direct as well as creative direct, or writing a TV series that has just been optioned, we believe this approach leads to greater diversity of thought and a more inspired team.

 

LBB> Why Coogee? It's a very different spot for an agency?


Simon> Being by the beach has always been part of our story. We started in Clovelly, then on to Tamarama and now we have our HQ at Coogee for the next 10 years. And the location talks to a few things – firstly that we are intent on doing things differently. Secondly, being by the beach helps you think more fluidly and expansively. Finally, if you’re in a competition with people’s homes as a place to work, this location usually comes up trumps.

 

LBB> Tell us a bit about what you've described as the "non-hierarchical structure" at Emotive.


Simon> Throughout the business, we have a basic philosophy that nobody is better than anyone else. But specifically, when it comes to traditional creative hierarchy, our approach is a little different. Uniquely, we run a very senior model of 14 CDs in an agency of 50 people. And there is no need for a CCO. This allows for greater ownership, less bottlenecks and for CDs to be purely focused on the work (and not managing teams or other agency politics). And it only works because of that additive culture. For example, we have fortnightly creative clinics where the entire creative team meets with a view to lifting all work.


LBB> Emotive integrates production, media, and brand experience - what was the thinking behind this integrated creative experience?


Simon> From day one, we established a specialist end-to-end film production unit (directors, producers, editors) within the agency that has now delivered over 100 major productions both here and around the world. While that doesn’t stop us partnering with other production companies (it’s all about the right director for the idea),  we felt there was a gap when it came to film production and having a more platform-intentional approach in digital. The other benefit we have noticed is having directors, producers, editors as part of the creative process. This not only protects the integrity of the idea but ensures greater brand knowledge within the production unit, which leads to more relevant builds.

And when it comes to media, our belief has always been that bridging the gap between idea and channel context is a must. That needs to be part of the conceptual process and we would argue that in this day and age you are reckless if this isn’t happening. So our creative amplification team delivers platform-intentional connections planning, working hand-in-hand with the creative team and the media agency.  


LBB> Who are your heroes?


Simon> My wife. Among her many, many other skills she delivered three spectacular kids (Lucas, Kalan, Milla) that I feel so lucky to have every day.


LBB> What are Emotive's plans for 2023 and beyond?


Simon> My belief is having a clear and accountable plan in business that plots the path from where you are now to where you are going, is mission critical if you are going to be consistently successful. I know that sounds obvious, but that clarity doesn’t always exist in agencies and without that you will never fully unite the team. 

Key to our plan is staying true to our family beach house culture by putting a cap on the number of FTEs, with 70 being the magic number (we’re currently at 52). This is something we put in place when only a start-up in 2015 and we will hold true to it: it ensures we’re doing business on a sustainable, human scale, protecting the quality of employees, our culture, our relationships and our work. Ultimately, we want to be the best independent agency, not the biggest.


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