Bob Mackintosh’s Montoya expands to New Zealand
Australian creative agency Montoya is extending its services to Aotearoa New Zealand.
The agency was founded by New Zealand-born Bob Mackintosh in 2022. Previously Mackintosh had been executive creative director of Host in Sydney. He was also VP and ECD for R/GA across APAC.
Mackintosh will travel regularly between Australia and New Zealand as he builds a team of creative, strategy and account service professionals in its Auckland base. He’s hoping to replicate the agency’s Australian success, but noted the New Zealand market is still dominated by large, established indies and networks.
Montoya is billed as an alternative to traditional agency models, with the expansion said to be “underpinned by a commitment to deliver big-agency thinking without the overheads”. This, the agency said, gives marketers direct access to senior creative talent “with transparent conversations and a nimble project-based model that moves quickly from challenge to solution”.
The agency already works with brands including Air New Zealand, Les Mills and Virgin Active across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand.
Mackintosh said efficiency and effectiveness are under particular scrutiny in the New Zealand market. This, he said, suits Montoya’s model which uses flexible compensation structures, ensuring “the focus remains on output, not process”.
“I’ve been building relationships with exceptional creative and production partners on both sides of the Tasman since we launched,” he said.
“We’re seeing a real appetite from clients in both New Zealand and Australia for a more direct, senior-led model – one that strips away unnecessary agency layers and connects marketers directly with the creatives developing the work.
“Our sweet spot sits at the intersection of culture, storytelling and technology, with a track record for developing campaigns that tap into broader cultural conversations to drive relevance and organic reach well beyond traditional advertising. This approach has been particularly powerful in the travel, wellness, entertainment and tech sectors – categories we’re passionate about, and where that passion translates into work that consistently punches above its weight.”
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