Andrew Holt back on deck

SYDNEY, Wednesday: Andrew Holt, the former MD of Clemenger BBDO Wellington and Sydney, has launched a marketing consultancy which aims to provide strategic advice to help businesses – on both sides of the Tasman – realise their brands’ full potential and unlock greater revenue growth”.

He’ll be based in Australia, but says he’s keen to work “on both sides of the Ditch”.

Holt, who has worked at some of the biggest creative agencies in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand during his more than 20-year career, has started The Whole Picture to challenge the marketing myopia that has seen the industry become increasingly tactical and communication centric.

“Brand is the most powerful commercial tool available to any business and yet many are failing to leverage the full potential of it,” Holt said.

“Too often, brand is seen as a cost rather than a fundamental driver of business growth and as marketing continues to get more complex and marketers are pulled in many directions, it is all too easy for the short-term agenda or the novelty of the new to distract from building the brand in a 360-degree holistic way.”

Holt has developed a “collaborative consultancy” approach, with “an emphasis on uncovering actionable insights that will engage the whole business in brand thinking”.

“Both my kids were born in NZ, and I will be looking for opportunities in NZ to help brands unlock future growth.”

“The Whole Picture has been designed to assist marketers take a step back and see the whole brand ecosystem to ultimately unlock greater value for customers, stakeholders and the wider community,” he said.

The Whole Picture is currently working with Adelaide-headquartered BusTech Group which is pioneering Australia’s transition to zero-emission mass transit and Brabham Automotive, manufacturer of Australia’s first supercar.

Holt: “The world’s most valuable brands are whole bands and closer to home it’s exciting to see those such as NRMA, Aldi and Xero embracing whole brand thinking, but there are too many Australian businesses, large and small, that are leaving value on the table by not seeing the whole picture.”

Holt has worked with Cadbury, ING, Foxtel, Vodafone, NZ Post and Air NZ.

For two years he led the Australian operation of UK-headquartered independent network VCCP and worked at BBDO agencies across Australasia, starting as a business director at Colenso BBDO Auckland before being promoted to managing director of Clemenger BBDO Wellington. Returning to Australia in 2015 he was appointed MD of Clemenger BBDO Sydney and has also worked at Saatchi & Saatchi, Lowe Hunt and DDB.

NZ still ‘part-home’
Holt told M+AD: “I loved my time working in NZ and am extremely proud to have been part of some world-class campaigns for clients such as NZTA.

“Personally, as both my kids were born there, New Zealand will always be in part home for our family, and professionally the inherent ingenuity behind many of the great Kiwi brands was one of the inspirations for starting The Whole Picture.

“So I will be looking for opportunities to help brands unlock future growth, on either side of the Ditch.”

• thewholepicture.cc