ISSUE: WHO WANTS TO WORK IN PERTH?
It seems that getting into an agency creative department in Perth is difficult but once in, it isn’t long before many creatives want out – not out of advertising, just out of Perth. They soon realise that Perth’s a pretty small market and the lure of working on a bigger stage and seeing a bit of the world becomes irresistible.
Here’s a list of the creatives we could think of who have left Perth:
Aislinn Andrews, Steve Back, Ian Bear, Jon Bird, Reed Collins, Brett Colliver, Lana Daubermann, Brendan Donnelly, Scott Dungate, Matt Eastwood, Dan Forrestal, Nat Fryer, Mat Garbutt, Brett Gascoigne, Dave Govier, Ben Green, Brendan Guthrie, Maisen Hall, Tim Hall, Joe Hawkins, Gordon Haynes, Liz Hinde, Scott Hitchcock, Pat Lennox, Roger McAuliffe, Sherri McIver, Simon McQuoid, Subha Naidu, Tony Osborne, Jason Ryan, Levi Slavin, Chris Swift, Ryan Wilson, Steve deWolf.
That’s a pretty good pool of talent and there are probably a few we’ve missed.
A couple of issues ago we wrote about awards being a young creative’s ticket out of here, and recalled Steve Back’s famous comment that his motivation for doing award-winning work is fear of having to come back and work in Perth. It’s a fair bet that none of the people on that list are in any hurry to come back either.
It wasn’t always that way. Adam Barker, Lori Canalini, Steve Brown and Peter Nelson returned to Perth after stints in the east or in Singapore. Richard Berney returned to Perth after a couple of years in Europe. And creative stars of the 90s like Lindsay Medalia, Mike Edmonds, Dale Simmonds, Ric Cairns, Steve Browning and Wayne Vinten all stayed and made successful careers here.
To be fair, there have been some coming the other way like Kurt Beaudoin, Rodrigo Cassini, Paul Coghlan, Mark Fretten, Mike Sequeira, Dav Tabeshfar, Andrew Tinning and Tom Wilson, who have all moved to Perth from interstate or international markets. Most of those guys seem well settled here but only time will tell for sure.
Then again, when Andrew Tinning won the worldwide Getty Images Ultimate Challenge earlier this year, one comment on our national blog was: “Well done Andrew, I wish you’d move to Sydney. I’ve been an admirer of your work for a long time. I really want to work for you but I can’t ‘do’ Perth.”
So, who’s happy to stay working in Perth and who would be on that plane given the opportunity?
38 Comments
What about Richard Bullock, Ned McNeilage and Mark Collis?
When that girl in the red dress (from the ECU party) gets a job in the industry it’ll be worthwhile sticking around in Perth.
10.12: True. True.
10.12am. What a shallow comment. How are we possibly supposed to know which girl you are talking about based on dress colour when at least three girls are wearing red? You need be clear here; the hot blond, the the tasty brunette or the other one.
Add to ‘those who returned’ Ron Samuel, Wayne Henderson and Basil Antonas. All came back after working in Asia.
I think there’s an audience for a ‘student profile’ type thread.
Each week CB could feature one of the lovely ladies currently studying at Uni, ( not just ECU – let’s share the love and include Curtin too.)
They could feature pics and perhaps even video, mirroring FHM’s girlfriend of the month spots…
Whaddya say? It beats seeing pics of clients Xmas parties every week and it’l give CD’s around town the chance to view emerging talent.
They were wearing dresses???
not when I was looking…..
She DOES work in the industry… been to Mitchells lately?
12:13. Apologies for the confusion. The blonde one.
Add me as another person who can’t ‘do’ Perth any more, and soon I won’t have to…
12.13, we all know who the fan was referring to.
There are few clients with half decent budgets in Perth, there are few big brands to work on, and the bulk of work is government based. Sure, there’s lots of govt work everywhere, but the move happens because you fancy working on something that Perth rarely offers. Even small agencies on the east coast can offer big brands, packaged goods, and half-decent budgets for TVCs. Hell, even just the chance to do more TVCs is enough to lure creatives.
perhaps the issue is that anyone who works in Perth has to put up with a male ego driven work environment…
or perhaps it is because you all still think a big TV budget is the pinnacle…
or perhaps it is just that many of the agencies mindsets are still stuck in the 90’s…
i think it is all of the above!
We should all be happy just to have jobs, let alone dream about agencies overseas hiring us. It’s a shit storm out there.
I know for a fact that blondey is from europe and is heading home with her other half – sorry Perth! You lose again!
I have very fond memories of my time in Perth. I still have some great friends and the grounding it gave me can’t be underestimated.
What an extraordinary article. To create a story about how ‘people leave’ for better cannot be in the best interests of the local industry. What a way to ‘talk things up’. C’mon. If this isn’t the ‘grass is greener’ then what is? Half the people on the list didn’t leave because of the industry, they left because they wanted to see more of the world – as so many Australians do – and ended up scoring jobs in other places and it went from there. Some left and came back. Things must be quiet. It is a naive, generalist story. Lets move on to something more positive.
8.06, I think it’s actually a very good point that’s been raised.
Personally, I left because there’s a lot more out there that Perth can’t offer. Bigger name clients with bigger budgets (although NZ budgets are still pretty tight) and yes, the chance to do more TV.
Seeing more of the world is an added bonus.
Sorry to say it, but the grass is greener.
People leaving to explore other opportunities is not a ‘Perth thing’ It happens in every market. The real question is why aren’t the people who choose to stay here making more of the opportunities they have in front of them?
How could we have forgotten McTavish?! Add Jamie to the list of those who have chosen to come to Perth. And to those who have left, Matt Cullen and Gary Tranter.
8.06. Brett is right and it sounds like you need to get out of Perth too if you can’t handle a good discussion topic like this one. 5.41 (at that time obviously a Syd/Mel expat) As you know, maybe if our CDs showed us more inspiration rather than their investment portfolio then we might be inclined to hang around longer.
It’s not only creatives leaving the city. Suits are leaving just as quickly This year Doni Savides left Gatecrasher for BMF. Mandi Oh from 303 is working at Saatchi in New York. Kate Blackadder is at Host Sydney. Perth is losing talent from both sides of the fence.
Suits are just as frustrated with the lack of opportunity in Perth. I fled to the UK and don’t intend to work in Perth for sometime. I do agree with 8.06, people leave to see the world, but I have to say, it’s strange how many egos there are in Perth and the mentality of how lucky you are to be in a particular agency when in fact those agencies should be so lucky to have such talent (whether you’re in creative or account management).
Very well said 9.34. Could not agree more. The agencies are the lucky ones, not the people!. How deluded is it when people go on about their agency being the best in Perth – 303, MF, Brand, Meerkats, we are all very average compared to BMF – let alone the big networks in London, NY or Asia.
Absolutely spot on 9.34.
No one in Perth should have an ego. All of us need to be thinking more internationally.
What about Maisen Hall and Gordon Haynes? Didn’t they move to Melbourne? What happened to them?
The MD of Saatchi London is a Perth boy, Michael Rebello, and Liz from Meerkats is now a senior suit at JWT London. The list is endless. But on the suit and planner side we’ve had lots of imports too. Time to move on, this thread is getting boring.
10:45am. I think you will find that Maisen and Gordon have indeed returned to Perth and look rather fetching in their radiant red dresses worn to the ECU Advertising do. See CB feature 3R.
I’ve worked in Perth for most of my adult life and I employ people to work for me and because I understand the mentality of Perth people and realise they prefer to stay here I provide jobs. If you think the grass is greener then get a life. You will have the same experience in NZ, London…wherever.
I still like the ‘girl’ in the red dress even if it is Maisen.
I love Perth and will probably end up back there one day, but if you want to reach your potential unfortunately Perth is not the place to do it.
There’s a lot of talent in Perth, but I encourage anyone with a real drive to be the best and work with the best to try somewhere else for a while. Perth will be there when you get back, and despite the current economic climate, good agencies will do anything to get good talent – whether you’re a suit or creative.
Liz from Meerkats is a suit at JWT London?! Oh God…
I worked at JWT London for a couple of years on a big global brand. While the people were great, JWT London would have to be one of the worst run, unaccountable agencies I’ve ever worked at and this was reflected by the loss of some pretty major clients recently.
I found Account Service to be basically ‘same shit, different shop’ over in London in general – no different to here except for the big brands with their big budgets – which also means a bloody slow process to get any creative through and actually realised. I found it really frustrating at times – especially when you have to deal with perhaps 5 different ad agencies who handle each part of the business (ATL, BTL, DM, Digital, CRM and so on) who don’t communicate and who are in constant competition with each other.
I think the guys that get to go over and work at the big agencies and on the big ideas (like Dave and Levi) are extremely lucky (but yes, they deserve it) – not all creatives that travel to that part of the world get a chance to work on quality brands like this. More often or not you’ll find them slogging it out in DM and BTL agencies doing lovely little postcards and retail posters for shop windows using the lead agencies creative ideas.
But in saying that its the best god damn work social life I’ve ever had 🙂
7.25am/Stirlo. How good of you to finally start signing your posts
1.05pm Anonymous – Actually its the very first time I’ve ever posted on here at all!
As someone who’s thinking of returning to Australia permanently, after 9 years of living and working around the globe, and have chosen Perth to settle in I feel we could be a bit more encouraging to both groups – those who’ve left and those who are coming in/back.
Perth’s small yes but that doesn’t mean the opportunities nor ambitions have to be small. Perth’s also pretty well positioned as far as SE Asia is concerned and I’m not sure why this hasn’t been explored more fully. Making the decision to get off the global merry-go-round is a huge call, as the easy option would be to keep travelling and working overseas (the money’s better as well as the opportunities).
Australia will always be home and the lifestyle our country and particularly places like Perth offer is not to be under-rated, don’t think you realise this until you’ve been away for a while and lived in diverse locations (Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dubai, London, New York and Singapore for me) that appreciate how good it is to come home and what we have to offer – work/life balance.
That said, living and working overseas is brilliant fun, hugely rewarding and an experience of a lifetime. I would encourage more to do so as the opportunities are substantial and the benefits (in all senses of the word) fantastic. It’s not for everyone, but it’s definitely worth giving it a shot. Would recommend challenging yourself a bit if your going to do it – New York and London are the ‘norms’, think about Tokyo, New Dehli, HoChi Minh, Italy, Spain, Russia, Prague, Bucharest as alternatives – not that living and working in London/NYC isn’t cool just not that expansive.
I would also say that maybe it’s time think a bit more laterally about communication and creative executions. I’m reading a lot about doing more/better/bigger TV, that’s pretty one-dimensional don’t you think. TV’s got a role to play and there is a wealth of crap advertising around the world, which means finding/creating those gems such a treat. Communication by any means necessary (where the core consumer is at) should be the priority – it’s not only about the showreel surely.
Cheers
Dick
I find that the creatives who move from oversees or interstate are here because of the attractive lifestyle, as creative growth within agencies in Perth is very difficult indeed. I have talked at length with some of those who have gone oversees where they have been able to run with their ideas and grow within an agency environment. They have also mentioned that some small-minded CD’s in Perth stifle creativity due to their provincial fear of being usurped. Maybe there is some truth in that.
If you’re young, talented and ambitious get on the plane. Perth is a great pace to live. There’s nothing wrong with the clients, the agencies, the budgets, the briefs but don’t lose sight of the fact that it’s ilttle ol’ Perth the most isolated city blah, blah, blah. Without the America’s Cup, Matt Giteau, Ben Cousins and some large holes in the ground full of gold, diamonds and metal stuff no one gives a fuck.
Go on, give it a go ‘over there’ but never forget how you started and the help and advice that people like Mike Edmonds, Andrew Tinning, Jim Davies and Nick Cleaver and many others have been able to give to set you on the road.
Don’t wait , go now- Qantas are offering a two for one deal to London , so you can take your writer/art director, boss’s wife or better still the girl in the red dress from ECU!
The worst thing that happened to me after returning to Perth after a few years in Singapore was that in a couple of the job interviews I had, they didn’t give a rats arse about what I’d done in Singapore and were only keen on what I’d done in Perth prior to leaving. Needless to say, I didn’t work for them. I was lucky to work for subsequent agencies who appreciated SE Asian experience.
I would encourage anyone to spread their wings and get a taste of what it’s like OS and bring your experience back. Sure we don’t often get the global brand stuff to work on, but you can still apply the principles to those local briefs. Our clients should be grateful that so many of us choose to come back here and share knowledge – not just keep on doing “what we did before we left”.
Wayne & I moved back for family reasons. Happy to be here. Wayne of course is still around but most likely to be found in his shed or at Australia Post. Makes the occasional appearance at AFA Oasis. Look out for him, he’s the one that looks really relaxed….