Creative Talk with Jon Coles, Founder of Coles & Co

In November, The Creative Store caught up with Jon Coles, founder of Auckland multi-disciplinary agency Coles & Co., for Creative Talk.

Hello Jon. Tell us about Coles & Co.

Coles & Co is a values-driven advertising agency founded by myself and Devoney Scarfe in 2020. We help clients make a positive impact in New Zealand and Australia.

How was your journey to becoming Coles & Co?

We started Coles & Co in a global pandemic and then scaled up in a recession. You could say we like a challenge! In the lead up to opening, I took notes from the best ad agency bosses and creative leaders I’ve worked with. I honed my skills in leadership, client relationships and in particular, balancing great creative with business smarts. From there, Devoney and I drew up a business plan and rented our first office in Ponsonby.

Starting your own agency – what has been the highlight?

Wins mean more when you’re personally invested in the work. Hiring full-time staff has also been a privilege in these challenging times.

We have been going through the worst recession the creative sector has seen – how has Coles & Co handled this?

Expanding into Australia has helped, along with focusing on client priorities, whether that’s brand building or hard working campaigns that drive short-term results.

Finding creative talent for a creative agency, with a creative at the helm can be a challenge – how has this been for you?

Finding people with the right cultural fit is not easy, especially when you’re super busy in growth mode. Having really good recruitment partners (including The Creative Store!) and a decent network makes a huge difference.

Do you have a client service team? I know Creative Director’s notoriously don’t enjoy this!

We do indeed. This is headed up by Carla Tamahori, our Senior Account Director. She has been a very welcome addition to Coles & Co!

I love that you are values driven – integrity, kindness & what we simply call ‘being a good human’. How do you align these values with your team, and your clients?

It comes down to not taking people for granted, whether they’re staff, the families of staff, freelancers or suppliers. With clients, we look for the right fit. Values are a part of that. And because they get to deal directly with the agency founders on key projects, what we believe is naturally part of the service we deliver.

Your model is collaborative – that your clients will work closely with you and get a real sense of ownership of the project – do you find most clients come to you for this very reason?

Often, especially for brand identity work and content-heavy projects. With more clients doing some form of creative inhouse, working collaboratively is a really good way to set up our partners – and our own team – for success.

Are clients coming to you by word of mouth, are you pitching for them, or have they simply stumbled across Coles & Co?

Mostly through referrals or reputation. We also pitch and occasionally team up with other agencies.

Do you specialise in or have a preference for particular projects? What projects make your heart sing?

We like working with brands focused on empowerment, change, or sustainability. Our co-founder Devoney is a foodie, so she loves food & beverage projects too.

Are you utilising AI or GPT? If so, how so?

Yes, we use Adobe Firefly to build on images we have shot or created in the first place. We use Chat GPT as part of our quality control and use AI transcription in our video editing process.

Tech – what are your thoughts around creative tech ie Canva, Adobe Express etc

Good for clients, if you have a decent brand design system and quality assets to work with. But without that, it can be a bit ropey.

What is the meaning behind the tiger on your website?

Instinct and bravery. Creativity requires intuition before the algorithms are applied.

Last words?

We’re big music fans. I’ll quote Rick Rubin: “Look for what you notice but no one else sees.”

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