Mumbrella Dynamic Duos: A two-week contract turned ten-year partnership
John Gault
When you walk into an interview as a battle-scarred creative and sit down opposite a baby-faced creative director you immediately think two things – I wonder who this nepo baby’s parents are, and how did I get ‘old’?
I eventually learnt the answer to the first question, (he was untainted by nepotism), but am still ruminating on an answer to the second.
After working together for a few weeks it became clear that Matt was ‘The Doogie Howser of Advertising’; a prodigious young talent capable of surgical creative precision. I like to think of him wearing a stethoscope to client meetings as well back then, but that might be the metaphor talking.
Successful creative partnerships are a unique mix of complementing skill-sets, personality, ambition and sheer serendipity. We were 4 from 4. Rapport that normally takes months was instant, we could build on each other’s thoughts, and quickly kill off the lesser ideas without either of us batting an eyelid or feeling slighted. There was no score keeping, just a passion for doing what was best for the work and the business problems we were solving.
Fast forward nearly 10 years, and rather than maturing into a stale, long-term relationship, we’ve burgeoned into a loving creative marriage. We won lots of awards, started our own business, had said business acquired, and now find ourselves heading up the creative output at Connecting Plots. Agency plug alert: it’s a bunch of high-performing legends who put imagination in every impression – come chat!
And despite the time passed, the briefs cracked, and the shared ups and downs, my favourite thing is still sitting together, with a problem in front of us, and a blank piece of paper. I know we’ll laugh, and I know we’ll come up with a great solution that punches above its weight. I know this because I’m sitting next to a creative superstar and an even better human, that makes my bad days good, not only creatively, but in life.
Most Memorable Moment With Matt: I’d have to say having the first money hit our company account when we started Two Gs. Equal parts terrifying and exciting. I’m sure this will be topped though by attending Matt’s wedding later in the year. Special mention for a ‘Hey ya, cheesbur-ga’ abomination of a thought that thankfully was never presented. It still brings us to tears of laughter.
Best Word To Describe Him: Loyal. It’s not the sexiest of terms and I’m obviously forgoing all of the other possible superlatives I could have gone with, but it’s the one that means the most to me.
Most Annoying Habit: Oh wow, he’s going to have a field day with this one on me. But I digress. Both endearing and annoying is his ability to find an answer instantly, that seems blindingly obvious once he says it, in response to a question/problem I’ve been wracking my brain over for hours, days, sometimes weeks.
Connecting Plots Creative Partner, John Gault
Matt Geersen
John and I first crossed paths in 2016 at VML. I’d brought him on for, what was supposed to be, a two week contract to get us through some pitches. I was under the pump and offered a mediocre brief, promising that we’d get together and hash it out. Cut to 4 days later when I finally checked in, only to find he’d filled in the gaps and come up with some killer work. It was clear he was different – John’s resourcefulness was a rare quality, and one that immediately set him apart.
We quickly developed a shorthand that felt seamless and instinctive, and were eating our fair share of burritos together over lunch. When the time came to move on, it made sense to apply that chemistry to something of our own. We founded Two Gs, a small but mighty independent agency that landed clients like Mad Mex (our love of burritos paid off), Metricon, Amazon Prime Video, Penguin Books, Finder and more.
Building an agency together tested us in ways we couldn’t have anticipated. When you no longer have the safety net of a stable pay cheque, it becomes about more than just your ability to solve creative problems together. We discovered there’s a yin and yang to a great partnership that doesn’t always come from a 50/50 split. There are moments when one of us carries more weight, and that’s okay. It’s about knowing each other’s strengths and stepping in when the other needs to be lifted up. Some days, that’s me. Other days, it’s John.
After nearly a decade, John isn’t just my creative partner, he’s one of my closest friends. What started as a short term contract has grown to an almost 10 year partnership that’s spanned some of Australia’s best agencies, 120+ awards, our own successful business and an acquisition by Connecting Plots, which now finds us working with a talented group of people as we grow and shape an indie agency with everything to prove.
Statistics say that only 5% of business partnerships last beyond five years. I’d credit defying those odds to three things: our willingness to have difficult conversations, our openness to different perspectives, and our ability to admit when we’re wrong. So as long as we keep pushing, challenging, and staying honest with each other, I don’t see this partnership slowing down anytime soon.
Most Memorable Moment With John: We flew up to Queensland with a crew to do our first shoot for our founding Two Gs client. It was only Jetstar economy, but it might as well have been first class.
Best Word To Describe Him: Insightful – he has a bit of a gift for knowing clients and what they’re looking for which makes focusing your efforts on the right answers much easier.
Most Annoying Habit: Being a perfectionist. It’s both annoying when you think the work is done, but when the client specifically shouts out that one specific change you realise it was worth it.
Connecting Plots Creative Partner, Matt Geersen
Read the article on Mumbrella →
Influencers, authenticity and the sameness game.
The rise of influencers, creators, and native content has transformed the way brands communicate. Fast, cheap, and wrapped in a veneer of authenticity, this new wave of content is the flavour of the moment. It’s an era where relatability trumps polish, and a well-placed TikTok mention can drive more conversions than a million-dollar ad campaign.
But beneath the surface, a bigger question looms.
Are brands building something sustainable, or setting themselves up for an epic fail?
At first, the shift seemed revolutionary. Traditional advertising – polished, scripted, and undeniably corporate – was losing its grip on consumers who craved something real. Enter the influencer economy: creators who built trust with their audiences, weaving brand endorsements seamlessly into their daily lives. Brands, eager to tap into this goldmine of credibility, rushed to partner with influencers, flooding feeds with sponsored content.
But here’s the problem: what starts as fresh and innovative can quickly become homogenised. Scroll through social media on any given day, and you’ll see it – an endless loop of identical trends, recycled hooks, and near-identical product placements. The aesthetic varies, but the formula remains the same. The result? Sameness.
In the short term, this might not seem like a big deal. Consumers still engage, sales still tick up, and brands still feel like they’re winning. But long term? The consequences are more troubling. Sameness erodes distinctiveness. When every brand follows the same blueprint – same influencers, same storytelling techniques, same viral challenges – it becomes harder for any single brand to stand out. What was once cutting-edge becomes white noise. And in a digital landscape that moves at lightning speed, being forgettable is a death sentence.
So, when everyone’s playing the same game, who actually wins?
Spoiler: probably not the brands. The real winners are the platforms, which thrive on an endless churn of content, and the top-tier creators who can command premium deals. Meanwhile, brands risk becoming interchangeable, trapped in a cycle where they’re constantly chasing the next trend rather than defining one.
The solution? Brands need to move beyond the quick-fix approach of influencer marketing and invest in strategies that prioritise long-term brand equity.
The goal shouldn’t be to simply keep up, it should be to cut through. That means owning a unique voice, using creativity to stand apart to occupy a unique space in consumers minds. Because in a world of copy-paste content, differentiation isn’t just an advantage; it’s survival.
Read the article on Mumbrella –>
Australian Eggs Turbocharge Dinner Via Connecting Plots
A daring egg gets behind the wheel, with a little help from a mystery driver, and takes on the obstacle course of a typical family home in order to make dinner shine in this latest campaign by Connecting Plots.
The new campaign is an extension of the ‘Bring the Bright’ platform which launched in September 2023 following a competitive pitch. With the goal of elevating the use of eggs within a broader range of meal occasions, the brand platform encourages Aussie households to brighten not only their meals, but their family’s demeanour thanks to the flavour and rich nutrients packed inside eggs.
The latest instalment echoes the playful and relatable tone of the previous campaigns, while evolving to hero the intergenerational relationships within the family from grandparents to parents and grandchildren.
“Our first two campaigns showcased the playful family moments that exist around mealtimes, from the perfect flip to dinner’s cheeky interruptions. But eggs are for everyone, young and old, so for the next campaign, we wanted to showcase the wider range of relationships that exist within the extended family dynamic.”
Australian Eggs Marketing Manager, Becky Vila.
“Becky, Nat and Rowan from Australian Eggs helped us drive the ‘Bring the Bright’ platform to even greater heights with this one. Dare I say, they’re good eggs.”
Connecting Plots Creative Partner, John Gault.
The campaign has come to life in partnership with production company, Infinity Squared and rostered director Richard Vilensky and will roll out across online video, BVOD, social media and OOH over the coming months.
View the full campaign here →
Iconic Aussie BBQ Sauce ETA Gets Back To Its No-Nonsense Roots Via Connecting Plots
At a time when the cultural wheel is once again resetting and nostalgia for simpler times is back in fashion, BBQ sauce brand ETA is capitalising on this trend. With strong nostalgic associations with childhood barbecues, ETA is an Aussie staple, perfect for whatever’s cooking – be it the perfect sausage sambo, or steak and store-bought pasta salad or a burger with the lot.
The new brand platform, ‘No-Nonsense BBQ Sauce’ positions ETA as the iconic, old-school bottle of Aussie simplicity – an unapologetic statement against the overly complicated food culture and a beacon of light for a return to simpler things.
“For the past 10 plus years, hipster artisans and their whiskey infused, boujee craft condiments have dominated the food scene. But Australia was built on a foundation of three meat and veg and it was time to get back to basics.”
Connecting Plots Creative Partner, Matt Geersen
“This is the first small step in giving this iconic brand the focus it deserves. There’s a huge loyalty in Aussie culture for the brand and product and we feel we owe it to them to be true to who we are.”
Goodman Fielder CMO, Christine Fung
The campaign launched into retail, OOH channels and Reddit (the internet’s spiritual home of BBQ sauce enthusiasts) to galvanise the community that have been long awaiting the return of the cult Aussie favourite.
View the full campaign here →
Chux Partners With Spotify To Put The Feel-Good Vibes Back Into Cleaning Via Connecting Plots
When we listen to music, our brains trigger the release of dopamine. According to a survey commissioned by Jelmar in 2019, research shows that listening to music is not only pleasurable but also makes everyday tasks (like cleaning) more enjoyable.
That’s why cleaning playlists are the MVP of Spotify. A quick search of “Cleaning Playlists” on Spotify and you’ll realise how incredibly popular they are. With hundreds or thousands of playlists dedicated to music to clean to, these playlists see a notable surge in streaming, especially during spring and summer periods.
So Chux, alongside #cleantok Influencer Brit Cunningham, have curated the ultimate summer cleaning playlist – ‘Clean Like No One Is Watching’ on Spotify, supported by advertising, contextual media placements and influencer content to road test it and encourage communities to contribute to the playlist.
“Chux products have always been thoughtfully designed to get the job done. Adding some music to set the mood, we are hoping to inject a little joy and positivity to keep people upbeat and motivated. The new year is the right time to do this as it’s where routines are set for the year ahead.”
Clorox Marketing Director, Lee Everson
“We’re not saying cleaning is fun. That would be a lie. But that doesn’t mean we can’t associate cleaning with a bit of playfulness and fun. Music is the universal shortcut to just that.”
Connecting Plots Co-Founder, Dave Jansen
With the Spotify branded playlist launching on 20 January 2025, the campaign will roll out across Spotify ads, Meta, Digital OOH and influencers throughout the summer period.
View the full campaign here →
Connecting Plots Appoints Kate Sheppard As Managing Director
Sheppard, who joined at the beginning of January, brings with her 20 years of executive leadership experience working within the DDB network, where she acted as a senior client leader for brands including McDonald’s, Wrigley, Arnott’s, Virgin Australia, Unilever, PepsiCo, and J&J.
Within that time Sheppard also served as Director of Group Operations as well as Group Managing Partner, leading a bespoke integrated agency team of over 30 people dedicated to the J&J account.
In the newly created role of Managing Director, Sheppard will be instrumental in driving the agency’s next phase of growth, leveraging her expertise to deepen client relationships, inspire high-performing teams, and strengthen the agency’s integrated offering while focusing on recent client wins including Goodman Fielder, Chartered Accountants and Clorox.
Connecting Plots’ service offering now includes advertising, content, brand, social, influencer and earned media under one roof. As the company grows and evolves, Sheppard’s proven ability to operationalise an integrated offering under a cohesive vision will be invaluable for clients looking to grow their brands in innovative and impactful ways.
Kate has a proven ability of providing steady leadership and supporting and growing the businesses of her clients. Having someone like Kate who can ‘connect the plots’ of our evolved offering to bring the best possible solutions to our clients will be pivotal in this next phase for our company. I’ve heard nothing but glowing reviews from anyone who has worked with Kate and am excited to work alongside her in 2025 and beyond.
Connecting Plots Co-Founder & CEO, Tom Phillips
The Connecting Plots team have a relentless focus on craft, culture and client success – they genuinely give a damn about delivering work that works, no matter how big or small. I’m looking forward to taking a hands-on role in shaping the next chapter of the agency’s ongoing growth trajectory.
Connecting Plots Managing Director, Kate Sheppard
Sheppard will join the agency’s leadership team alongside owners, Tom Phillips, David Jansen and Sophia Kang; Creative Partners, Matt Geersen and John Gault; Strategy Partner, Craig Page; and Creative Operations Director, Mary Morrell.
Iconic Aussie Brand, Praise Gets A Renovation From Connecting Plots
Praise, an iconic and nostalgic brand in Aussie culture, made famous by its memorable jingle from the 80’s and 90’s, has launched a new brand platform, taking the brand back to its roots.
The brand’s advertising from previous decades reveals its lighthearted approach to convenience in the kitchen, made distinctive by a jingle that remains in the minds of many Australians 30 years later.
A new call to arms – ‘Give It Some Mayo’ solidifies Praise’s rightful claim as the category leader and takes the brand back to its origins, by celebrating all the great Aussie things made even better by ‘giving it some mayo’.
“There are some things in life that just get better when you ‘give it some mayo’. The outside of a grilled cheese jaffle for added crunch, your scrambled eggs for extra creaminess, even in your baking to add richness and moisture. But it’s not just food – think stories, cricket, netball, singing, beatboxing, piano, inventions, darts, dancing, bottle flip challenges, made-up games, and even applying makeup. The list goes on. The platform has legs, and this campaign is the first chapter in a new, fun-loving era for Praise.”
Goodman Fielder CMO, Christine Fung.
The brand campaign is the first major work for Praise by Connecting Plots, who were appointed in June 2023, launching Praise’s sustainability partnership with Saveful.
“Being handed the keys to a brand like Praise is a big honour. We have a small window in time to do something that we hope people will genuinely love and remember for decades to come. Praise is the category leader, so we’re acting like it and taking the fight to our competitors by focusing on mayo as that’s our foundation.”
Praise Marketing Manager, Tim Smith.
Connecting Plots and Goodman Fielder used insights from System 1 Testing to future-proof the brand with a younger audience. While the brand remains highly recognisable and memorable to older Australians, it’s relatively unknown to younger generations. This work aims to change that by owning and embedding an already popular Aussie saying and connecting it back to the benefits of Praise.
“I think the term ‘renovate’ is spot on. This project has been about getting the brand back to its roots. There’s a simplicity to our approach. We all agreed early on that we’re just mayo… we’re just dressings… our role in people’s lives is really simple. We make stuff taste better, quickly. So we decided to have some fun with that and forget about trying to be overly meaningful to consumers.”
Connecting Plots Co-Founder & CCO, Dave Jansen
The campaign has launched across TV, BVOD, social, OOH and podcasts in collaboration with media agency, Initiative to establish the new platform and repeatability of the line “give it some mayo”.
View the full campaign here →
Helga’s Brings A Taste Of Late Night Wholesome To The Brats
Since the release of Charli XCX’s studio album, Brat, the brat trend and lime green brat aesthetic has been seemingly everywhere – from TikTok dances, memes and fashion through to an endorsement by the U.S presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
When Charli XCX’s tour poster was banned by the UK’s advertising regulation body, ASA, for “promoting bad things”, the singer-songwriter promptly took to TikTok to clarify, immediately adding a sandwich to the updated tour poster.
With the humble sandwich now central to the Brat 2024 Arena Tour’s promotional material, it was only fitting for a brat sandwich to take centre stage.
“We wanted to create something bratty, but also a little bit wholesome. Something that could bring our brats together for a moment of goodness amidst a big night out.”
Helga’s Marketing Manager, Ryan Guthrie.
So, to show the brats they care, Helga’s partnered with It’s Recess, a cult sandwich shop just off of Sydney’s Oxford Street to develop a custom brat club sandwich for one night only.
Named after one of the iconic tracks on Charli’s new album, the Club Classic[s] is a play on the iconic club sandwich. 11 layers of pure bratty chaos held together by three slices of deliciously soft Helga’s wholemeal bread. Ingredients include crispy bacon, oxheart tomatoes, rocket, chicken, swiss cheese, apple slices brined in pickle juice and a bright brat-green mayo. All served in a custom sandwich bag, of course.
Influencers, content creators and media were invited to an exclusive invite-only preview night to taste test the sandwich and create content for their channels to get word to the brats.
The experience dropped on Friday 6 September where It’s Recess transformed into the iconic brat lime green. For one night only from 10pm – 1am, 365 (another Charli XCX song) Club Classic sandwiches were available and free. You just had to turn up to get your hands on one. And if you missed it – sandwich creator – Tom Smallwood created a tutorial on how to make a Helga’s Club Classic at home.
The campaign was developed by Goodman Fielder in collaboration with Connecting Plots and their social and influencer business unit, a.glo.
“From our team identifying the opportunity, to having an idea and activation in motion with Connecting Plots just 48 hours later – this just demonstrates the power of a close working relationship between agency and client.”
Goodman Fielder’s CMO, Christine Fung.
View the full campaign here →
Connecting Plots Has 4 Entries Accepted Into Campaign Brief The Work 2024
Film & TV Craft – Special Effects
‘Happy To Help’ – Westinghouse
Radio & Audio
Let’s Clean Things Up’ – 30 SECONDS
Film, TV & Cinema (90 Seconds & Under)
‘The Experts in Air’ – Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Air-Conditioners Australia
Film, TV & Cinema (90 Seconds & Under)
‘Take A Breakation’ – Muffin Break
Chartered Accountants ANZ And Connecting Plots Challenge Perceptions Of The Profession
The accounting profession has a problem. Consideration of the profession is severely lacking in the younger generation, while perceptions are deeply rooted in old truths that no longer apply. To put it quite simply, Gen Z don’t see accounting as ‘cool’.
Despite the importance of accountants in our economy, these preconceived notions have become a significant barrier for students when it comes to making decisions about their future careers. Student enrolments in accounting degrees at universities have almost halved since 2018, leaving a massive gap in the profession’s talent pipeline.
Despite the decline in consideration, overall demand for accounting, audit and finance professionals is predicted to grow significantly, with forecasts showing that we will need an additional 58,000 new jobs in the next 10 years to match demand. Chartered Accountants ANZ, who support the education, development and professional standards of more than 139,000 financial professionals across Australia and New Zealand, need to future-proof the profession by challenging Gen Z’s perceptions of accounting.
As part of a longer-term platform to bring about change for the profession, Chartered Accountants ANZ has partnered with creative agency, Connecting Plots to develop a creative platform and strategic approach that will span future communications, content and campaigns.
“This is a marathon, not a sprint. From launching partnerships with Year13, YES and Explore Careers to establishing this new platform, we are still in the early stages of a much longer journey to change perceptions and drive consideration of a career in accounting.”
Chartered Accountants ANZ Chief Marketing Officer, Chelsea Wymer.
Through qualitative research, Connecting Plots discovered that students don’t think a whole lot about their future profession, nor do they know (or care) much about accountancy. But they are incredibly passionate about their interests, which are wide and varied. The task at hand was to show them how a career in accounting could help turn these passions into their career.
After all, behind every superstar athlete, every brand we love and every show we binge watch, there’s a financial expert. They may not be in the spotlight, but Chartered Accountants are the backbone of some of the most exciting industries across the globe. The new platform ‘Make Epic Things Happen’ shines a spotlight on these unsung heroes, repositioning accountants as the stars of the show by featuring them in an epic movie trailer.
“From out in the field to festivals, from global conservation to gaming, the new campaign provides context for the real work of accountants that our audience can understand, relate to and aspire to become. We wanted to inspire the next generation to see that people in accounting make epic things happen every day.”
Connecting Plots Creative Partner, Matt Geersen.
The new work launched in cinema in July 2024 before one of the year’s most anticipated film premieres, Deadpool & Wolverine. The film has already smashed box office records, grossing a staggering $438.3 million globally, including a record-breaking $17.6 million at the Australian box office in its first week.
The campaign will continue to roll out across careers events, online video, YouTube, Meta, Instagram and TikTok, OOH and targeted display media over the coming months.
View the full campaign here →