After taking over the Harry M Miller Group from her father, and later rebranding it HMMG, Lauren Miller celebrated 20 years in the business with clients and colleagues last week.
Miller confirmed to Mediaweek she was very much a reluctant participant initially, in marked contrast to the management style of her dad Harry M Miller, but she was talked into it by her staff that it was a significant milestone worthy of a party.
Speaking with Mediaweek after the event, Miller explained what she looks for when she signs new talent to the agency.
“We are in the business of building brand IP and commercialising it in partnership with our clients. We need to have their long-term vision matching with ours. We are agents – we have to negotiate. We have to have something on the table pretty quickly. We are very commercially driven. Unless we can build and create something together, then it is no dice.
“We are prepared to take on emerging media talent – Lola Berry would be an example of that. She had a profile, and we took her from a well-known brand in the Melbourne health and wellness space to be working with blue chip clients like Coles and Telstra.”
Lauren Miller celebrating with her team last week [L-R]: Dominique Wrighton, Jenni Ballard, Miller, Hayley van Spanje and Emelia Wall
Miller noted that she hasn’t had many people turn their back on the business. “It doesn’t happen that often. We can’t represent anyone who wants to run their own show or doesn’t want to be represented by me. We have little to no staff or client turnover. We won’t waste time on someone not committed to our partnership any more.”
Miller was clearly overwhelmed at the function when she got up to speak about her father, her family and her clients. “My staff had never seen me so emotional and vulnerable in front of them before.
“While it was great to celebrate with the party, that is over now and it is back to work!” [Laughs]
Photo: Lauren Miller surrounded by just some of her clients [L-R] Elle Halliwell, Peter Morrissey, Tara Moss, Maggie Tabberer, Danny Clayton, Miller, Ace Bourke, Naomi Simson, Lola Berry, Ryan Fitzgerald, Philippa Whitfield Pomeranz, Michael Laurence, Toni Pearen, Osher Günsberg, Richie Vaculick and Mark Maloney