Adland Needs to Take Bigger Swings: Paul Bradbury Calls for Disruptive Creativity in 2025
We’re starting the year by asking CEOs, CMOs, and CCOs to reflect on their best and worst of 2024 and hopes and fears for 2025. First up: CEO and president of TBWA Australia and New Zealand, who oversaw a year of significant pitch wins in 2024.
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As Paul Bradbury, CEO of TBWA Australia and New Zealand, reflects on a whirlwind year, he’s not just celebrating a slew of new business wins or eyeing future opportunities. He’s worried.
Speaking to LBB, the advertising leader says 2025 isn’t just about pushing boundaries – it’s about ensuring the industry doesn’t shy away from bold ideas that can truly make an impact.
“The world has never been more in need of disruptive creativity,” Paul warns. “It’s the antidote to incrementalism.”
Paul believes new generative AI tools are key opportunities to free up the creative power needed for more ambitious work in 2025.
“After a big year of new business pitches and some big wins, we are looking forward to focusing on our disruptive creative output across the total brand experience and leaning into gen AI to create more efficient delivery of the lower-level tasks,” Paul said of his goals for TBWA, badged as the Disruption Company.
“This will create more time and space for the magic of strategic and creative excellence.”
“We as an industry don’t take enough ‘big swings’ creatively or innovation bets. The world has never been in more need of disruptive creativity. It’s the antidote to incrementalism.”
Among TBWA’s local pitch wins in 2024 were Kraft Heinz, Goodman Fielder, ANZ, and the highly-coveted Defence Force Recruiting account, but it was Telstra agency +61 delivering on its promise and potential that Paul sees as his best business success of 2024.
“Within our first 15 months, we have a body of creative work we are all very proud of, and that is delivering remarkable commercial results,” he said.
“Our partnership with Bear Meets Eagle on Fire and OMD is stronger than ever.”
2024 was also an important year personally for Paul, whose wife Melissa is head of partnerships at 36 Months – a movement which, at the end of the year, succeeded in its efforts to lobby the government to raise the minimum social media age from 13 to 16. The initiative was spearheaded by Finch CEO Rob Galluzzo and radio presenter Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli.
“Helping my 14-year-old daughter navigate the challenges and lure of social media has been without a doubt the most difficult thing,” Paul said.
“Shout out to Rob Galluzzo, my wife Melissa, and the team at 36 Months who are leading the fightback for young minds here and around the world.”
Time with his family is set to remain central to Paul’s life again in 2025, with a new dog, Vinnie, officially making him a “dog-person.”
“I’m excited to travel,” he said of his plans for 2025, “with a real focus on adventure-style family holidays where the mobile phone doesn’t get a look in.”
