Ring of fire: Telstra reviews creative roster 12 months after CMO Brent Smart lands

News 4 Sep 2023 - 2 min read

Ring of fire: Telstra reviews creative roster 12 months after CMO Brent Smart lands

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It will be the one to watch this year – Telstra's creativity-loving CMO Brent Smart is running the rule over his creative agency roster in a closed review. Smart will likely be hunting renewed creative rigour, vigour and big impact from the winner – or winners in this high profile overhaul. The former Saatchi & Saatchi New York CEO has been vocal in his ambition to prove smashing creativity is a business growth lever, particularly for a listed blue chip.

Exactly 12 months after starting as Telstra's new CMO, Brent Smart and team are reviewing their creative agency roster, placing The Monkeys, CHEP and DDB on notice. The former two, ironically, were on Smart's creative roster in his previous gig as CMO at IAG – although that sword could be doubled-edged.

The telco, which spent $248 million on advertising and promotion in FY22, told Mi3 the closed review would likely alter the remits of its agency partners.

Per a Telstra spokesperson: “Our agencies are important partners in maintaining our brand position and from time to time we review how we work together. Our scope of work with our agencies will be changing and we are working through those changes with them.”

Late last year Telstra’s top marketer Jeremy Nicholas changed role to manage the telco’s digital sales and service operations, handing the CMO baton to former IAG marketing boss Brent Smart.

Smart has a team of around 300 marketers and will be looking to deliver some world-class – and probably acclaimed – creative thinking and campaigns under his tenure and his new lead creative outfit.