The Contenders

We always have a bit of a cackle when our brand strategist Eugene Healey puts up another one of his videos... And we love a good rant, especially if there is truth behind it.

In this month's LinkedIn article, Phil Curlis-Gibson talks all things strategy and the importance of keeping it simple.

A HUGE congratulations to everyone at Geelong Arts Centre for being awarded Performing Arts Centre of the Year at the 2024 APAX IMPACT Awards. We are so proud of everyone involved and this acknowledgement is incredibly well-deserved. It has been a small and humbling part we have played in this journey, but it is one we pride ourselves on as well. We can't wait to see what this incredible team and venue have in store.

Fast Company recently published an article heralding that 'the rebrand is dead'. Our CEO Joe Rogers has a lot to say about this in his monthly article here: https://lnkd.in/gUUqCbCc You can also read the article to which he is responding to here: https://lnkd.in/gQz_JHRt

Are we gaslighting ourselves 🤔 Contenders Brand Strategist Eugene Healey telling it how it is...

As a group of people who focus on the intersection between business and brand, we are big believers in the importance strategic thinking. Sometimes an interesting way to get a new look at this approach is to view its application to something other than what you do... This Harvard Business Review article is an insightful explanation on the ways in which individuals can use a corporate approach to thinking to figure out how to live a meaningful life. It starts with defining what makes a great life for you and then outlining your purpose and vision. Although they have applied corporate strategic thinking to the personal, there is also interesting learnings to apply back to business strategic thinking. https://lnkd.in/egNgi-U7

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We have big news It feels like yesterday that The Contenders started, but it’s actually been almost thirteen years. In 2011, there was no hybrid working, paternity leave was almost unheard of, and Joe and I were newlyweds with a baby on the way. We met at the agency where Joe worked so I understood better than most how demanding his role could be. He was in Singapore at least one week out of every month, and the rest of his time was often spent travelling interstate.   So...we chose to take a risk so we could spend more time as a family. It is this family ethos that is a big part of our culture to this day.   Back then, we often found ourselves juggling midnight feeds with our eldest while talking business and writing strategy.   During the past few weeks, I have had the same sense of pride in the business and its people as I did back then.   As part of our commitment to staying practitioner led, The Contenders has worked with staff over the last nine months to develop an Employee Partner Scheme that allows its core team to gain ownership in the business. These members include Business Director Phil Curlis-Gibson, Head of Design Jenny Mangan, Creative Director Emily Fitts and Associate Strategy Director Toby Phillips. ‘We have a wonderful team,’ Joe Rogers says about the decision. ‘And our culture is based on a commitment to shared responsibility. It's a real honour for me and our fellow investors to welcome Jenny, Phil, Emily and Toby as new owners of the business. We believe the future of consultancy in specialist agencies like ours lies in adapting to the new operating models of our clients, fostering better work, and building trusted relationships based on results.’   With the launch of the Employee Partner Scheme, we hope to not only strengthen our commitment to a collaborative and inclusive work culture, but we also want to set a new standard for ownership and responsibility in the industry. Phil shares: ‘It is a real privilege to become part of the ownership group. We have an average staff tenure of 6.5 years, which shows that people are trusted and empowered to do great work and to grow together.' Jenny adds: ‘The real value of being an owner lies in the shared vision and commitment we all have. It’s a powerful feeling to know that we’re all in this together.'   By empowering our team members to become co-owners, we believe we foster a sense of shared purpose and long-term investment in the success of the business. As we continue to grow and adapt to the evolving needs of our clients, we hope this move underscores our belief that the future of consultancy lies in the hands of those who are most passionate about driving it forwards.   While I was crafting this announcement, I realised why the decision feels so close to the one that started The Contenders all those years ago – it was made for very similar reasons. Because the best decisions, whether in life or in business, are always made from a place of care for others.   Megan Rogers

Humbling to see our work with Our Watch brought to life internally and promoted out in the world. It's been an absolute privilege to gain a better understanding of why Our Watch is a national leader in the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia. Although not always on newspapers' front pages or in our social media feed, violence against women is ever present. Below are some key statistics that we would like to keep in people's minds: - 2 in 5 women (39%) have experienced violence since the age of 15.4 - Men are more commonly the perpetrators of physical violence, sexual harassment and sexual violence. - Women are more likely to experience violence from someone they know than by a stranger (35% vs 11%).6 - On average, one woman is killed every nine days by a current or former partner. - In the year 2021/22, 4,620 women aged 15 years and over (average of 13 women/day) were hospitalised due to family and domestic violence. - 1 in 4 women (27%) has experienced violence, emotional abuse, or economic abuse by a cohabitating partner since the age of 15. - 1 in 3 women (31%) has experienced physical violence since the age of 15. - 1 in 5 women (22%) has experienced sexual violence since the age of 15. - 1 in 2 women (53%) has experienced sexual harassment in their lifetime. For more information on the work Our Watch does please visit https://lnkd.in/gnzEvSTC

In this month's article Vanig Krikorian responds to the question, 'Do consumers really care about sustainability', by exploring the gap between intention and action. This one's a good one...