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December 3 2020 was a momentous day for us.
We said our goodbyes to BirdBrain and Luminosity and officially launched Distl.
Now more than 6 months on, we thought we’d take the opportunity to reflect on our experiences so far and celebrate the milestones we’ve achieved.
<h2>Becoming Distl </h2>
You may already know the <a href="https://distl.com.au/the-making-of-distl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">story of how we became Distl</a>, but to catch you up to speed, our rebrand was all about consolidating our two brands into one, seamlessly integrated agency.
Along the way, we also learned how to better communicate who we are and why we exist.
Since <a href="https://distl.com.au/insights/building-resilient-brands/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">refining our brand purpose</a>, every part of our business is now strategically aligned to our mission for building Australia’s most resilient brands.
“While the rebrand has been one of the most fulfilling stages of our business journey, it’s also had a positive impact on virtually every aspect of the business,” said our Director David Metcalf.
“Holding internal and public launch events to present the brand and then rolling out a communications plan across social media, blogs and video content has more clearly aligned our purpose, values, service offering and culture”.
Bringing our vision to life was a huge undertaking for our team, but as Digital Marketing Specialist and Culture Lead Jess Bacon explains, we’ve come through it stronger and more united.
“After a rebrand, you may expect everyone to be exhausted from the process. I think our team have experienced the opposite,” Jess said.
“We’re motivated and invigorated from the rebrand and everyone has a real fire burning under them. We’re now driven to push harder, to do better work and really get our name out there”.
<h2>Projects we’ve launched </h2>
Fuelled by our rebrand, we’ve tackled 2021 head on and launched a range of new brand and web projects for our clients.
Here’s a snapshot of some of the work we’ve done this year, from rebranding Sydney based design, fit out and construction business Cyclo, to launching a new website for Pilbara Solar, a young renewable energy development company.
<a href="https://wp.distl.com.au/works/cyclo/"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3267" src="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/Cyclo-1024x683.jpeg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/Cyclo-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/Cyclo-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/Cyclo-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/Cyclo-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/Cyclo.jpeg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
Cyclo Group rebrand, bespoke website design and development
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3268" src="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/07_Momentum_Posters_1920 × 1280-1024x683.jpeg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/07_Momentum_Posters_1920 × 1280-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/07_Momentum_Posters_1920 × 1280-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/07_Momentum_Posters_1920 × 1280-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/07_Momentum_Posters_1920 × 1280-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/07_Momentum_Posters_1920 × 1280.jpeg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Momentum Engineering rebrand and website
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<a href="https://wp.distl.com.au/works/pilbara-solar/"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3269" src="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/PS_05_3xMobiles_1920 × 1280-1024x683.jpeg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/PS_05_3xMobiles_1920 × 1280-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/PS_05_3xMobiles_1920 × 1280-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/PS_05_3xMobiles_1920 × 1280-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/PS_05_3xMobiles_1920 × 1280-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/PS_05_3xMobiles_1920 × 1280.jpeg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
Pilbara Solar bespoke website design and development
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<div class="mceTemp"></div>
<a href="https://wp.distl.com.au/works/ayres-composite-panels/"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2751" src="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/06/thumbnail-8-1024x682.jpeg" alt="" width="1024" height="682" srcset="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/06/thumbnail-8-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/06/thumbnail-8-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/06/thumbnail-8-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/06/thumbnail-8.jpeg 1526w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter">Ayres Composite Panels bespoke website design and development</div>
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<h3><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3271" src="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/DiskBank_1920x1280_00000-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/DiskBank_1920x1280_00000-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/DiskBank_1920x1280_00000-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/DiskBank_1920x1280_00000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/DiskBank_1920x1280_00000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/DiskBank_1920x1280_00000.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></h3>
DiskBank bespoke website design and development
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<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3270" src="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/ScopeAdvisory_1920x1280_00000-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/ScopeAdvisory_1920x1280_00000-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/ScopeAdvisory_1920x1280_00000-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/ScopeAdvisory_1920x1280_00000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/ScopeAdvisory_1920x1280_00000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/ScopeAdvisory_1920x1280_00000.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Scope Advisory bespoke website design and development
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<h3>Celebrating our clients </h3>
Our clients are the lifeblood of our business. We love working with businesses of all shapes and sizes, helping them to achieve their biggest, hairiest, most audacious goals.
Since rebranding, our relationships with our clients have only flourished.
“There was definitely a sense of excitement and intrigue from clients when they heard we were rebranding,” said Ryan Wilson, Digital Marketing Specialist and Client Service Lead.
“The big difference I’m noticing in our client base since the rebrand is having the knowledge of everything we have to offer. Marketing clients are being exposed to our branding services and branding clients are going through the entire journey, staying on for ongoing marketing”.
From new brands we’re working with to long term clients who are exploring new opportunities, here’s a few client highlights from 2021 so far.
<h4>New relationships</h4>
Our digital marketing team has taken on a wide range of new clients this year.
In February we began working with BGC Housing Group and already we’ve launched a new website for them in collaboration with Creative.adm.
We’ve been managing their SEO, PPC and paid social, and we’re due to start activities with their real estate brand Now Living Realty.
Executive recruitment firm Scotford Fennessy are another new client we’ve welcomed into the fold.
After engaging us for SEO and paid social, we’re now starting a new website project with them.
<h4>Long term partnerships</h4>
Owned by the Ecseri family, Tecsec Security Solutions and 21st Century Business Equipment have been with us for many years as SEO clients.
This year 21st Century Business Equipment introduced a new product called NXT21. More than a point of sale system, NTXT21 is a complete business solution for Perth’s hospitality industry.
To help their team launch NXT21, we produced a promotional brochure and a new landing page, using a PPC campaign and an eDM to help increase awareness and drive enquiries.
Another long-term client of ours is Remastone, a WA supplier of limestone blocks, cladding and paving products.
Over the course of several years, we’ve worked on a range of digital marketing activities including SEO, PPC, paid social, eDMs and Spotify advertising, and now we’re designing and developing a new website for them.
We’ve also begun to branch into new areas with our client R&amp;R Fencing, Perth’s leading manufacturer and supplier for fencing and gate supplies.
On top of our usual SEO and PPC efforts, we’ve now run a promotional radio campaign and produced a range of branded collateral for them.
<h3>New faces in our team  </h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-3275 size-large" src="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/MG_4514_forupload-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/MG_4514_forupload-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/MG_4514_forupload-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/MG_4514_forupload-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/MG_4514_forupload-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2021/08/MG_4514_forupload-2048x1366.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Our clients may be the reason why we exist, but we wouldn’t be able to produce our quality of work without the right people in our team.
At every stage of our business journey, we’ve put a lot of effort into ensuring we have the perfect mix of in-house specialists, selecting skilled individuals who fit our culture and align with our values.
We’d like to officially welcome our newcomers for 2021 and take a moment to acknowledge each of them.
Pictured left to right, we have Alice Hampshire, Ekin Bukulmez, Anthony Curnow, Andy Sexton, Shayan Azad, Joel Cook and Jan de Waal.
<a href="https://wa.campaignbrief.com/anthony-curnow-departs-brand-agency-to-join-distl-as-brand-and-communications-lead/">As reported in Campaign Brief</a> a few months ago, Anthony joined our team as our Brand and Communications Director to help shape the next phase in our evolution.
We’ve also brought on Alice as a Senior Account/Project Manager and Ekin as a new addition to our web development team.
Our digital marketing team has also expanded to cater to our growing client base, with Andy, Jan and Shayan joining our ranks.
After completing his internship with us at the beginning of the year, Joel has also come on board with us full time as Account Support to continue his learning and development.
<h4>Nurturing our culture</h4>
While it was exciting to unveil Distl to the world and start a new chapter, we knew it was important to nurture our team throughout the change.
Our Digital Marketing Specialist Emily Newman became part of our team at the pivotal moment when we launched the Distl brand.
“When I joined Distl, the team culture was like nothing I had seen before. There was such a sense of pride within the entire team. It was evident that years of hard work had led to this milestone, and everyone was making the most of celebrating together,” Emily said.
“Distl is a forward-thinking, welcoming, and empowering workplace. There’s never a dull moment. Whether you’re learning about a new digital trend, getting to know a new client, or collaborating with a teammate – it’s full of joy”.
Following the rebrand, we’ve focused on strengthening our culture by creating opportunities for social bonding and providing access to activities that support physical and mental health.
Throughout 2021 this has included team lunches, social drinks on Friday afternoons, in office massages, recreational events and access to a Class Pass company membership.
Last week we also held an internal development workshop with our long-term client People Solutions.
Under the guidance of their organisational development experts, we used the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator methodology to gain greater insight into each of our team members.
<h4>Learning and development</h4>
As our culture is built on collaboration and shared learning, we’re always seeking ways to increase our knowledge and further develop our skills, both individually and as a team.
Each team member is allotted time each week for self-development, and everyone is encouraged to complete training courses to help grow their skillset.
Most recently, Jess and Ryan (pictured below with one of our many office dogs Harper) took the Advanced Account Management course by the Advertising Council of Australia.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3294" src="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2020/08/WEB-INNER_JessRyan_resized-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2020/08/WEB-INNER_JessRyan_resized-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2020/08/WEB-INNER_JessRyan_resized-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2020/08/WEB-INNER_JessRyan_resized-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2020/08/WEB-INNER_JessRyan_resized-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wp.distl.com.au/app/uploads/2020/08/WEB-INNER_JessRyan_resized.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
<h4>The future  </h4>
Everyone at Distl is committed to our vision and sustaining the momentum we’ve built so far. We know who we are as an agency and what we can achieve when we come together as a team.
“The rebrand was long overdue and it’s important that we don’t lose the value of what we’ve worked so hard to build,” said David Metcalf.
“The backend of 2021 will be about delivering on our purpose – building unstoppable, resilient brands for our clients”.

Beyond The Rebrand: Our Journey So Far

Internships usually go one of two ways. Either you’re treated as a glorified gopher who’s expected to take on all the grunt work, or if you’re lucky, someone will take you under their wing and nurture your development.  
 
Our Digital Marketing Specialist Jess Bacon has been on both sides of the coin. Four years ago, she was on the cusp of graduating with a degree in Marketing and Finance when she began to seek out internship opportunities.  
“It was important to me that I get hands on experience in an internship capacity, but my first internship at a financial planning office was not what I was expecting,” Jess said.  
“I was filing paperwork and told to complete admin tasks. I was more an assistant than an intern. I didn’t really get any opportunity to learn”.  
When she later secured a copywriting internship with Distl (then known as BirdBrain), she knew she had found the right place for her.  
“Our copywriter at the time was my mentor and she managed my internship. She gave me in depth feedback and continually pushed me to do great work. The whole marketing team really supported my development, I learned something new every day.” 
Over time, she was exposed to different parts of the business and was able to learn from other skilled team members, until eventually she put herself forward for a permanent role. What started as a part time position quickly turned into full time employment, and now four years later, Jess is one of the most highly skilled digital marketing specialists in our team. As part of her continued development, she has also taken on a role in our leadership team as Culture Lead.  
“The internship taught me from the ground up. I was able to practice the basics over and over until it became natural. Understanding the core fundamentals so well has helped me immensely when communicating with my clients,” Jess shared.  
“I knew as soon as I started here that this was the place I wanted to stay. The culture is supportive, it’s one of knowledge sharing and collaboration, and that resonates so much with me. I want to continue to promote that in my role as Culture Lead.”  
More recently, our Account Support Joel Cook completed his internship with us when he was fresh out of university. Being a graduate during COVID-19 came with unique challenges, and Joel quickly realised he had to be proactive in finding opportunities to gain hands on experience.  
“An internship gives you a taste of everything. It helps you discover which direction you want your career to head in. At Distl, I got exposed to everything the agency does and how they do it, while also gaining an understanding of the wider industry,” Joel explained.   
“I think it helps to start your career as an intern, especially straight out of university. You aren’t expected to know everything. No question is a stupid question.  People understand you’re still learning, and they’re prepared to share their knowledge with you.” 
Upon completing his internship, Joel was offered a full-time position with Distl as Account Support to enable him to continue his learning and development.  
“I decided to take the role not only for career progression, but also because of the great culture and people. Everyone is friendly and welcoming, making it a great environment to continue to learn and develop as a marketing professional,” Joel said.  
Our Technical SEO Sam Driessen took a slightly different path to Jess and Joel. While he also began his journey with us as an intern, he didn’t make the leap to agency world by applying for an internship in the traditional way. He already had some life and career experience under his belt and had recently completed a Digital Marketing Diploma that gave him a theoretical understanding of the digital space. Looking to apply his knowledge and gain practical experience, Sam was open to the idea of an unpaid internship.   
“I googled &#8220;digital marketing Perth&#8221; to get a feel for the agencies that were out there, what kind of work they were doing and how they approached digital. Distl (then BirdBrain) was the only company that resonated with me,” Sam said.  
“They were taking a tailored approach to digital, delivering bespoke work for each client. I reached out, asking for a chance to get my foot in the door and our Director David Metcalf replied to tee up an interview later in the week”.  
A senior SEO specialist mentored Sam one-on-one, enabling him to build his skillset and understand the practical applications of his learnings. Four years on, Sam is now our top SEO expert and a key member of our leadership team. As his internship gave him the opportunity to understand how we operate at Distl, he found it advantageous to continue with the same agency.  
“The internship taught me a great deal about SEO and digital marketing, but it also gave me valuable insight into how agencies run,” Sam explained.  
“Getting hired after my internship meant that I could hit the ground running. If I&#8217;d taken a role elsewhere, I&#8217;d have to take time to get up to speed with their systems and processes”.  
Based on their experiences, all three of our past interns would recommend today’s university students complete an internship before graduating to help set themselves up for the future. 
“There will be more opportunity and less competition if you get in touch with agencies that aren&#8217;t advertising positions. Seek out agencies doing the kind of work you&#8217;re interested in and ask if they&#8217;re open to showing you the ropes,” Sam said.  
Even if you’ve already pursued a career in another field and want to make the move to marketing, you can still apply the same approach. At Distl, we tend to offer 3-month internships on an annual basis with the intention of hiring if the candidate has shown promise and demonstrated they are the right cultural fit. As a full-service agency with in-house specialists, we can expose interns to every part of our business, offering mentorship to support your learning and development.  
If you want to stay up to date with our latest internship and job openings, follow us on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/distl">LinkedIn</a> today.

Why we value internships at Distl

Spotify Advertising recently dropped the latest edition of their <a href="https://culturenext.byspotify.com/assets/report/Spotify_CultureNext_Report_AU.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Culture Next report</a>, identifying the global trends defining Gen Z and Millennials.
Among some interesting insights into current listening habits are some real gems for those involved in content marketing. From the enduring popularity of digital experiences to questions of identity and market segmentation, there’s plenty to learn.
But what does all this mean for those of us involved in digital marketing? How can brands take these findings and run with them? And what else should we be doing to engage our Gen Z and Millennial audiences?
<h2>The shift toward digital experiences is more than just a response to COVID</h2>
It’s hard to deny the impact that COVID has had on the world over the last 12-18 months. Most significantly, how and where we engage with the world has shifted, with our homes becoming the centre of our universe. This has been particularly true for Gen Z and Millennials, with 44% and 55% respectively saying the pandemic has shrunk their social circles.
This has made digital devices even more important, as they are now seen as key to maintaining a sense of connection. As part of this, Gen Z and Millennials are increasingly using connected home devices to listen to audio content. For example, over the last 12 months, audio streaming on TVs has increased by 71% and on smart home speakers by 37%.
But the increased consumption of digital content isn’t just a COVID phenomenon – it’s actually a longer-term trend. In fact, both Gen Z and Millennials have shown a preference for digital experiences, regardless of the current climate. 43% of Millennials and 32% of Gen Z also indicated they plan to continue attending virtual events post-COVID.
In many ways, this is great news because it means the appetite for digital content is only going to grow. However, if digital experiences are the new norm, brands will need to adjust their content strategy to suit a more home-based customer. We’ll also need to find new and creative ways to cut through the digital noise and connect with our audience.
<h2>The rise and rise of podcasts</h2>
Over the last few years, we’ve seen podcasts go from niche format to major media channel. As key platforms for leaders in almost every cultural group, podcasts have become a crucial information source. They’re also an important mode of connection, with many well-known content creators using podcasts to engage with their followers.
One of the main reasons podcasts are so effective at reaching Gen Z and Millennials is the sense of authenticity. While many are generally sceptical about traditional news and media sources, podcasts are seen as raw, real, and relatable.
The good news is that this credibility extends to podcast advertising. In fact, 41% of listeners noted they were more likely to trust an ad they heard on a podcast. What’s more, an astounding 81% said they’d taken action after hearing an ad on a podcast.
This highlights the potential value of including podcast activities in your content strategy. To be effective, this must be done honestly, openly, and in a way that connects with the desired audience. All advertising activity also needs to align with the spirit and values of the podcast it’s appearing on.
<h3>Understanding affinities, not targeting demographics</h3>
While targeting demographics such as age, gender and location can help to narrow down your audience, these groupings tend to be too broadly defined. As such, we generally consider multiple factors, including more specific interests, when developing digital marketing strategies and refining messaging.
This is becoming more important as many Millennials and Gen Z are now eschewing the stereotypes of traditional identifiers (e.g. gender). Engagement approaches need to evolve in line with these changes, focusing on more active cultural identifiers and actual shared interests.
Whether it’s K-Pop, gaming, or 90’s nostalgia, these affinities represent true communities and real passions for their devotees. What’s more, the nature of pop culture means that new communities are being created constantly. These bring people of all backgrounds together and provide a single unifying force for digital marketing to tap into.
That being said, adopting an affinity-based approach would be a fundamental change to how digital and content marketing is traditionally done. As fan communities are now stronger and more influential than they’ve ever been, there’s clearly an opportunity to leverage the energy and commitment of these groups.
<h3>The importance of creating immersive experiences</h3>
Audio has long been loved for its ability to help people relax and unwind. This is a view shared by Gen Z and Millennials, with 76% saying they use audio to help reduce stress. What’s more, a similar percentage (75%) said they saw audio as a resource for managing their mental health.
This is in no small part thanks to audio’s ability to provide an escape and to create new worlds. In fact, 64% of millennials identified audio as the most immersive media.
This really reinforces the importance of including audio media in any content strategy. Noting the passion and connection Gen Z and Millennials have to audio, there’s value in brands leveraging this medium. This could be by advertising on platforms like Spotify or during individual podcasts, or by producing unique content.
<h4>Let’s dig a little deeper</h4>
At Distl, we’re continually exploring the latest digital marketing trends to identify new opportunities for our clients.
Whether you want to connect with a Millennial or Gen Z audience, develop a content strategy or start Spotify advertising, we’re here to help.
<a href="https://wp.distl.com.au/contact-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get in touch</a> with us today to find out more.
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Engaging the Next Generation – Spotify’s Global Trends Report

Home

The recipe for an
unstoppable brand.

Build brand equity. Enjoy sustainable success.

What does all-in branding and digital look like?

Insights

Beyond The Rebrand: Our Journey So Far

Why we value internships at Distl

Engaging the Next Generation – Spotify’s Global Trends Report

The recipe for an unstoppable brand.

Build brand equity. Enjoy sustainable success.

What does all-in branding and digital look like?

Insights

Beyond The Rebrand: Our Journey So Far

Why we value internships at Distl

Engaging the Next Generation – Spotify’s Global Trends Report

The recipe for an
unstoppable brand.