Longreach Media is an independent media agency based in Perth, Western Australia. It was established in 2018 to provide clients with smart, sound, and unbiased marketing, advertising, and channel investment advice.
Founder and managing director Angela Nutton and her fellow managing director John Driscoll spoke to Mediaweek about the unique mix of clients, the agency thriving during the pandemic and the benefits of being part of the IMAA.
Nutton and Driscoll have known each other since the early days of their careers, working at Marketforce. They had each gone their separate ways in their respective careers, Nutton did stints at Arnoul Media Services, Seven Network, Nine and OMD. Driscoll eventually stepped up to chairman and CEO of Marketforce and later as CEO of Seven West Media (WA).
“We both found ourselves in a situation where we felt that we wanted to create our own story and work to our roles, rather than the major corporates,” Nutton recalled.
Angela Nutton
Going independent and starting Longreach Media
Driscoll said it was the right time to start a business from the ground up. “I’ve certainly got to a position, over an extended period, where I was more running the agency than working directly with clients, and I love working with clients and seeing them succeed,” he shared.
“This was an opportunity to get back to that way of working with people that we know and trust,” he noted of the professional opportunity.
Nutton shared that a key frustration with her previous role as managing director of OMD WA was the “ratio of staff” that was “dictated” to her. She said: “We’re a service industry. It’s about the quality of the staff that works on a client’s business, not the cost of the staff.”
“Being able to be independent and make those calls and decisions ourselves was key to this process. We focus on senior staff because that is what we deliver to our clients, that service knowledge, smart sound, and unbiased service levels,” she added.
Hands-on work with their unique mix of clients
As managing director, Nutton explained that she predominantly deals with the media side of the business and media strategy, planning, and buying across all channels with her team of six. “Very hands-on. Roll up your sleeves and unstack the dishwasher,” she joked.
Driscoll shared that he also works closely with clients but on the marketing strategy side, leading to creative execution.
In terms of clients, he explained that they have quite a unique mix. “We have a mix of clients, some of our clients purely media planning, buying, strategy, then we have a group of clients who use that service, but they also use us as creative and strategic planning resources,” he said.
The agency has more than 25 clients, including its foundation client Advanced Personnel Management (APM) – a national disability services provider – Road Safety Commission, and The Perron Institute.
Longreach Media thriving amid the pandemic
Longreach Media went through a period of growth before the pandemic, but the agency grew instead of taking a hit like many businesses.
“A lot of clients and people that we’ve worked with over the last 30-plus years saw us, I think, as trusted advisors. When they were struggling during COVID, they came to us as advisors. We picked up a lot of businesses such as Tyrepower and City of Fremantle,” Nutton said.
With a solid client base, Nutton shared that their new clients include a new brand from APM and a new customer loyalty reward program called Aura and Boomer Home Loans.
Nothing stopped business from flourishing at Longreach Media amid the pandemic. Driscoll noted that in terms of clients, they kept moving forward and did not pull back on their marketing.
Driscoll shared that the Perron Institute got behind the agency’s philosophy of taking advantage of the quiet early stage of the pandemic. He said: “We were able to achieve some incredible successes for that not-for-profit organisation by lifting our marketing presence.”
Nutton noted that she believed the pandemic highlighted to clients that focusing on acquisition-based channels rather than brand building and acquisition together was wrong.
“I think we’ve found ourselves in a situation whereby clients wanted holistic and unbiased advice,” she said, explaining that many digital-only agencies provided advice that best suited their revenue generation capabilities rather than the best business solution.
Nutton said that brands came to them asking about maintaining brand equity to survive Covid and be strong. “That’s where we combine all channels, not just digital, but offline as well, to ensure that that happens, and I think we had a lot of success on that,” she added.
Experienced staff providing quality work
Longreach Media also work with nine creative agencies and in turn are their media partner. Nutton said: “Whatever the requirement is at the time is where either John or I will step in and fill the gap and provide the skill set and knowledge required for each client. It’s quite bespoke.”
As a full-service media agency, Longreach Media boasts experienced senior staff who have worked across different areas of media, from digital to organic and owned digital.
“We are a specialised strategic planning and buying agency, and I believe you can’t offer just siloed channel advice. It has to be holistic channel advice and strategy to provide the best outcomes,” Nutton said.
John Driscoll
Driscoll noted that the level of service they offer their clients is critical to the success of Longreach and the company’s length of time in the industry, not just as a marketing strategy but as a business strategy.
The managing director noted that part of his time at Longreach Media has been his being part of the boards of other businesses such as BDO in Western Australia, the chair of Screen West and vice president of RAC WA.
“We have a lot of business connections that give us an experience when we’re dealing with clients. It takes our level of discussion and engagement way beyond what you’d expect from a media agency,” Driscoll added.
Looking to the year ahead, in addition to the launches of Boomer Home Loans and the second arm of APM, Nutton said that Longreach Media is expanding its team with two to three more hires in addition to the two already made so far.
On the IMAA
Longreach Media joined the IMAA last year, and Nutton called it the most rewarding membership and the very interactive.
“They add value to what we do, even right down to the training of staff and access to information. They put us on equal ground with some of the major corporates in the Australian market.
“I think they do an amazing job, so we’re really thrilled to be a part of the IMMA.,” Nutton added.
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Top image left to right: Angela Nutton and John Driscoll
