5 Minutes with… Tamryn Kerr

Tamryn Kerr, co-founder and CCO at the full-service agency Hijinks Collective, believes that being a creative is the best job in the world. However, her last agency made her forget it – almost. Instead of searching for a new role, she decided to co-found an agency that would emphasise all the best parts of the job – the fun, the creativity, the big ideas – and get rid of the rest.

At Hijinks, the principle of ‘positivity through creativity’ guides Tamryn and the team. Together they believe that positivity holds the key to all kinds of problems, from creative to business, and they’ve been applying the principle to global client work alongside several charity projects that the Hijinks team really believes in.

Tamryn is also a proud advocate of women’s progress and development in the industry and has been involved with and provided mentorship through Creative Equals, Bloom, She Says, D&AD, The One Show and For Creative Girls.

LBB caught up with Tamryn to learn more about Hijinks, what Tamryn thinks the industry needs to do to better support women, and what’s next on the horizon for the agency.

LBB> You’re the co-founder and CCO of Hijinks Collective. What made you decide to start your own company?

Tamryn> Being a creative is the best job in the world. You get to have fun, dream up crazy ideas and make amazing projects with incredibly talented people. The last agency I worked at was so terrible that it made me forget all of that, so instead of taking another job that was more of the same, I decided to team up with incredible people and start the agency I always wanted to work at, and Hijinks was born.

LBB> You previously worked at BBH London, Joint, VMLY&R, and YouTube. What were some of the biggest lessons that you learned from your time there and what did you decide to do differently at Hijinks?

Tamryn> BBH taught me the value of craft, Joint taught me that you didn’t have to be a big agency to do big things, and VMLY&R proved how much the industry was missing creative leaders that didn’t all look and sound the same. YouTube Creative Studio helped me learn about creators and the scale of the creator economy. More importantly, I got to experience first-hand how agencies interact with clients, and the experience showed me the value of building a partnership – navigating hurdles together to get to better work.

LBB> ‘Positivity Through Creativity’ is Hijinks’ guiding principle. Can you unpack this for us a little bit and explain how it permeates through the work that you do?

Tamryn> At Hijinks, we believe that positivity is the key to solving many of the industry’s biggest problems. But, don’t just take it from us – research has proven that positivity increases creativity, drives action, helps you seize opportunities, bonds people together and helps you tackle challenges. Plus, let's be honest, the world needs it right now. So, that’s why positivity is baked into our work and the way that we work with our client partners, from creating positive change, to building positive communities to driving positive engagement.

LBB> What are the main challenges facing brands/clients today? How is Hijinks helping to address them?

Tamryn> Keeping up with the pace of change both within marketing and the world as a whole is a massive challenge. Clients need partners who can be nimble, pivot when necessary and work with them to make great work that works for their business.

LBB> Which of your recent work best showcases what Hijinks can do for clients?

Tamryn> We’ve been working with Vue Cinemas to do everything from branding for their new products to rolling out full 360 comms. Recently, we launched their new Ultra Lux seat with a film that positions the chair as a transportation device into the world of film. Created entirely in CGI, we crafted every detail, from the dramatic camera movement, ethereal sound and dynamic lighting to take the viewer on a special journey into the exhilarating world of film. We’re working with Vue on lots more, so watch this space.

LBB> In a digital-first world, do you think tactile, physical brand experiences still make a strong impact? Do brands need to think more about connecting with customers outside of digital spaces?

Tamryn> Tactile, physical brand experiences do make a strong impact with audiences, and the brands that are doing this the best at the moment are creator-founded brands. From Sorted Food launching a food truck to The Sidemen Charity Match, creator brands are expanding out beyond the social media platforms and are reaping the rewards.

LBB> You’re a proud advocate for women in creative industries and are involved in a number of organisations and initiatives. In your view, what are the barriers that women still face in the industry and how far is the industry from something that can be called equality?

Tamryn> Unfortunately, there seems to have been little progress when it comes to equality and the industry simply isn’t moving forward fast enough. This is true for women, people of colour, queer and non-binary people – that’s why at Hijinks, we over-index on diversity. It wasn’t a conscious decision but inevitably who we’ve become. Sexism, micro-aggressions, and unconscious bias still eat away at women’s confidence – that’s why I try to mentor as many women as possible, helping to call out their strengths and regain lost confidence. The gender pay gap is unacceptably huge and we’ve worked hard to make sure Hijinks doesn’t have one.

LBB> What’s next on the horizon for Hijinks? What kind of work are you really excited about?

Tamryn> Hijinks HQ is a hive of activity with a big global integrated campaign in the works. We’re also working on a big brand campaign that launches later in the year. Alongside big projects for global brands, we’re also working with several charities on causes that we believe in to create positivity through creativity. In truth, I’m excited about all of the work we are doing and I can’t wait for the world to see, experience and benefit from it.