Adam Ferrier, Jim Ingram and Ben Couzens launch new agency Thinkerbell
Adam Ferrier, Jim Ingram and Ben Couzens have officially launched their own agency, Thinkerbell, after departing Cummins & Partners in March.
Speaking to Mumbrella, Ferrier said Thinkerbell’s proposition is “measured magic” with the company’s logo “a cross between Rodin’s The Thinker – [which] represents scientific inquiry – and Tinkerbell who represents magic”.
The Thinkerbell logo
“[We are] bringing those things together, scientific inquiry and brilliant ideas to create measured magic for our clients,” he said.
Ferrier was one of the founders of Naked Communications, departing the role in September 2013 and joining Cummins & Partners less than one month later.
Both Couzens and Ingram worked together to create the Victoria Bitters Melbourne Symphony Orchestra campaign and Schweppes Burst commercial.
Ferrier said the three founders and the agency’s proposition of “crashing together marketing sciences and hard-core creativity”, would be its key point of difference in the market. The agency will differntiate itself by undoing the “natural divorce in the marketplace between the science and creativity”.
“I don’t think many agencies, with one or two exceptions, are approaching this space at all,” he said.
Founders Adam Ferrier, Jim Ingram and Ben Couzens
“For clients at the moment it’s a really complex marketing landscape, they’ve got loads of opportunity to do loads of different things as the sands are constantly shifting, but they’ve also got loads of accountability.
“Although they’ve got loads of options they need to be sure they’re taking the right options, so everything needs to be considered and more science behind the decisions they make.
“That’s what we are trying to do, we are trying to do what we call evidence-based creativity – so making sure we have genuine hardcore creative solutions,” Ferrier continued.
Ferrier wouldn’t be baited on who the agency’s foundation clients are, but said “there’s going to be more announcements on where we are up to shortly”.
He noted the work would come, if the agency fulfilled its proposition.
“There are loads of agencies in the marketplace all offering a very similar service, so although there are loads of agencies, there’s not much choice.
“Agencies historically haven’t been particularly good at differentiating themselves, so we feel like we’ve got a model that is different enough to add more choice into the marketplace. They’re all set up the same internally, they all have the same issues, they’re all quite interchangeable.
“There’s also lots of good agencies out there, and if we’re good too, we think the work will come,” said Ferrier.
Abigail Dawson was Mumbrella's senior content journalist covering event content. She left Mumbrella to move into an agency role in 2020.
Linkedin
http://www.thinkerbell.be/en/
https://m.facebook.com/PsychicReadingsByThinkerbell/
https://youtu.be/juC8i2CHFDM
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Wish them well but couldn’t help laugh at some of the quotes mentioned here and elsewhere. Ferrier’s biggest fan is Adam, hopefully the other partners will get a voice too in the new venture.
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Loads.
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That is a strong partnership. Expect good things from them.
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Hi Liz, thanks for you well wishes. I really appreciate your concern, but rest assured, I always make sure my voice is heard. Jim.
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Woohoo. An agency who gets what a brand is.
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And you wonder why the GP think advertising people are bunch of wankers.
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Lovely name
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Great team ! These guys will go far. They understand consumers to their core, they understand strategy lead creative and they are damn good to work with !! Best of luck boys ! Make more magic happen
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I can assure you these guys are no wankers. They are creative royalty
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This will be a great agency. Enjoy the ride gents.
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Three white guys and no tinker bell. Doesn’t really fit with Adam’s claimed commitment to female leadership which would now seem convenient bandwagoning for PR mileage.
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Best of luck guys.
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Smart, creative, entrepreneurs doing their own thing. It should be celebrated and supported. Can’t wait to see how it grows.
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Wow! Three white, middle-aged men start up a ‘hotshop’ agency promising to be different to all the other white, middle-aged men run agencies out there.
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Glad this has been raised, we’re obviously well aware of it – and agree with you. Rule number 1 in business is choose good partners – and it’s very very difficult to find the right people at the right time to go into business with. In Jim and Cuz I’ve found perfect partners, but as it happens we’re all blokes.
We’ve been working on solutions and we’ll have some to announce at the right time.
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An album cover shot of the founding partners doing odd things and looking vaguely disinterested. These guys must be good.
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Is this all a ruse to flog books and bonsai sensing figs?
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“Measured Magic” sounds like With Collective’s “Logic & Magic”.
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Wow that didn’t take long. Imagine if three colleagues/friends decide start a business together – they’re sitting around at the planning stage, and decide to say “Well I guess we shouldn’t go ahead with it after all. Some sanctimonious commenter on Mumbrella will give us grief about the gender and colour we just so happen to be”.
Congrats guys.
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Good luck guys. Huge fan of art meets science; left brain-right brain action. Look forward to seeing the output. Its still about great insight and story telling then using technology as an enabler.
Bon chance.
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Wishing Adam and the guys every success . Lots of agencies repositioning in recent weeks and doing so in a very confusing way . I think the guys have spelt out a very clear value proposition and will back them to do awesome work !
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Love to see people having a crack …..and you guys are better placed than most to make it work. Good luck.
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I sense Jim has a Peter Pan complex. Maybe they all do.
It just all seems a bit juvenile.
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All the best chaps.
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Congrats, three of the best. Looking forward to seeing the results and the work!
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Congratulations boys. You are going to do great things.
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New ventures must be celebrated, not denigrated. These chaps have resumes that anyone in this game would be envious of. Onwards and upwards gentlemen. All the best.
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Geez. Three smart fellas walk away from the agency of the year to start their own thing. And rather than wish them well people feel the need to take pot shots via blog comments. I doubt any of them would care, but seriously. Rock on guys!
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Love the name brand logo everything. It’s an agency that’s a brand. Looking forwards seeing what’s next
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Take it no scientific inquiry or brilliant ideas involved in composing that photo? 😉 Looking forward to great things from the team. Congratulations.
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Best of luck. You’ll nail it.
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I think J.M. Barrie explained that she is called Tinkerbell because she mends tin pots and kettles … and so you shall guys. And more, much more. Go spread your fairy dust
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JWT had a fling with Magic & Logic back in the dark days of 2007.
If you google it you’ll see it.
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Superb. However, The Thinker represents philosophy, not science.
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But on LinkedIn you posted that you had launched with Jim, Ben and Emma so why not here?
Didn’t suit?
Forgot?
Post LinkedIn after Awkward’s comment?
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Jealous or angry or both?
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Congrats guys, can’t wait to see the work.
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I had to laugh at Adam’s comments about finding the right partners. You met them at Cummins Adam!! Hardly did a big deep search. And just btw there are a lot of strong women there…why didn’t you find them?
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The logo is perfect. A desire to come in and sprinkle fairy dust before flying off. Or, in this instance, Thinkerbell the fairy is sitting, pondering what Planning actually is, with wings a little clipped.
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Shhhh….stop talking Jim. Adam is talking.
Hi Ben.
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(Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy)
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Congrats Guys. All the best for your own venture.
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Easily the best creatives I’ve ever worked with. Best of luck. Can’t wait to see what happens next.
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@Big Fan – you are not general public
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Some really odd, snide comments on here
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brilliant stuff guys, best of luck. You’re top of the game and those who have worked with you will want to work with you again. the key to success.
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I think many people do “give a shit” as you so eloquently described it. Not sure what your issue is with one more person passing on their congratulations. Back to your box “Captain Obvious”
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(Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy)
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Perhaps a trade mark search would have been in order? TINKERBELL is registered to Disney, including for video and audio productions and printed materials. The registration extends to any other word that’s substantially identical with, or deceptively similar to, TINKERBELL. But maybe you’ve gotten clearance from Disney in advance, or had advice that the Disney registration can’t be enforced to its full extent.
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Mate, the agency is called Thinkerbell. Not Tinkerbell…
The name of the agency is written at least 10 times in the article.
Hopefully you have better attention to detail at your day job 😉
Also, all the best to the guys, really nice people, hope it works out.
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Schweppes burst is my favorite TVC of all time, a beautiful and effective piece of work. All the best to them.
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@awkward
What a strange comment? If it were three women would it be awkward? 15 white men on the board of a publicly listed company = disgraceful. Of a boutique agency; no issue at all. Pull your head in, or out…
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Couldn’t agree more. The Thinker ffs!
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Love these guys – best of luck to them!
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