Features
‘Modernity isn’t an end point’: 72andSunny global chair and ANZ president reflect on agency’s 20th birthday
Mumbrella's Lauren McNamara sat down with 72andSunny's global chairman, Matt Jarvis, and ANZ president, Ross Berthinussen, as the indie creative network celebrated its 20th anniversary last month.
While many indie players have launched in recent years, creative agencies like 72andSunny have led the charge.
Having launched simultaneously in LA and Amsterdam in 2004, expanded to New York in 2014, and then to Australia in 2017, the agency’s 20 years have seen incredible global growth, working with clients including Google, the NFL, Adidas, United Airlines, Zoom, Sonos and more.
72andSunny’s co-founders
Matt Jarvis, global chairman and former CEO of the agency, describes 72andSunny as an “antidote to the cynicism and silos of the advertising industry”, and says through its 20-year history, it has always chased the desire to create alternative ways of working.
“I think one of the reasons we’ve made it to 20 years, and I hope we make it much more, is that this company has always been more than a business, it’s an idea,” he tells Mumbrella.
“And that means the power of possibility. It’s the magic of creativity. It’s the jet fuel that is collaboration… And we’ve been chasing that since the beginning.”
72andSunny’s first office
When the creative network was looking to Australia in 2017, Jarvis says there were a couple of draw cards.
He describes the ANZ market as a place that “cultivates big ideas and creativity”, which was alluring to 72andSunny’s co-founders John Boiler and Glenn Cole.
“I think being a marketer in Australia is really exciting, because you get your hands on all the levers of communication, unlike a lot of other markets,” he says. “But there was also something about the 72andSunny ethos, and the way it shares elements of Australian culture.”
Ross Berthinussen, ANZ president, joined the agency in 2018 as an ESD, a year after its launch down under. In 2021, he stepped up to run the company.
Ross Berthinussen and Matt Jarvis
“The experience has been a great fulfilling and learning journey for us,” he tells Mumbrella. “We’ve built some really great momentum, we’ve worked with some really awesome, progressive client partners, we’re building relationships and we’re seeing the fruits of that.”
Just last month, the agency unveiled a new global strategy offering, designed to provide brands support across a range of strategic challenges, and help them grow.
The global consultancy service, The Strategy Studio, will tap into the creative network’s locations across the world to support its clients.
“It’s actionable strategy,” Berthinussen says.
In Australia, the last 12 months have seen significant growth, with the business picking up iconic Australian brands including BCF and MLC, Afterpay and realestate.com.au, and continuing partnerships with Google, 4 Pines, and more.
“We’ve got a lovely motto of ‘great relationships lead to great work’, and we’re really seeing that shine through,” Berthinussen adds.
72andSunny even took home one of the inaugural ARIA Award for Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement.
The winning work, which was made in collaboration with Campfire X, was part of a campaign for Google, addressing the issues First Nations Australians face when overcoming ‘shame job’, and the transformative power of mentorship.
72andSunny x Campfire X’s winning work with Baker Boy
“That was a real highlight for us,” Berthinussen continues.
“For our work to be recognised outside of the advertising industry, was amazing. It’s such a great platform and initiative to encourage more use of homegrown talent in advertising, and that was a really proud moment for us.”
Despite the success of the agency, it has absolutely come with its challenges. Much like any other business, 72andSunny has had to acknowledge Covid lockdowns, economic pressures and increasing competition.
Jarvis says that with great creativity, comes great risk, and balancing that risk continues to prove a challenge.
“One of our largest clients in the US is the NFL, and that’s a huge swath of American fabric,” he explains.
“That journey is ripe with challenges, but through their stewardship and our partnership, it’s now a place where everyone feels like they have a piece where they belong… But there will always be tensions in business, and the more successful you get, the higher the tightrope gets.”
72andSunny’s class of 2006
Berthinussen reflects on the greatest challenge facing the Australian market at the moment, that many would agree with, which is having to do more with less budget.
“Agencies are making creativity that can push clients and businesses forward, but doing that in the context of smaller budgets, smaller timelines, and that’s a huge challenge. This is a long-term challenge with our industry, so it’s up to us to prove the real value and effectiveness of our work.”
As for the future, the agency is looking to solidify its three core pillars – strategy, advertising, and design – and build up its offerings to continue its growth trajectory.
72andSunny’s class of 2024
“Modernity isn’t an end point,” Jarvis says. “You don’t just become modern and stop. It’s ongoing practice. And that’s what we strive for at 72andSunny.
“I really hope the agency looks totally different in three years, let alone in another 20, because that’s what happens with embracing modernity. If it doesn’t then we fail.”
Subscribe to the daily newsletter
Lauren McNamara is the associate editor at Mumbrella, covering the creative and PR beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
Linkedin
Have your say