Tess Brandenburg. Credit: Atomic 212°
EssenceMediacom's Tess Brandenburg has jumped to Atomic 212° as its head of client service for Brisbane and Darwin, AdNews can reveal.
Brandenburg moves out of communications planning into client leadership, taking charge of teams in Brisbane, where agencies are chasing work ahead of the 2032 Olympics, and Darwin.
She sees planning and client service as two halves of the same job, with one identifying the opportunity and the other building the trust to deliver on it.
AdNews spoke exclusively to Brandenburg about the move, her leadership style and what she thinks the industry still gets wrong about client service.
What made now the right time to leave EssenceMediacom and join Atomic 212°?
EssenceMediacom has been an incredibly important chapter in my career, and I’m genuinely grateful for the opportunities, people and experiences I’ve had there. It’s a business that has shaped me both professionally and personally.
For me, the timing was just right. What really stood out about Atomic 212° was its entrepreneurial spirit, client-first mindset and strong reputation for delivering exceptional outcomes while maintaining a genuinely people-focused culture. The opportunity to work alongside ambitious and talented people, contribute to the agency’s continued growth and be part of a business with a clear vision for the future felt like the right fit.
Head of Client Service is a step from planning into a broader remit, what drew you to that, and how do the two disciplines feed into each other?
I think communications planning is one of the most underrated disciplines in our industry. Done well, it sits at the intersection of consumer behaviour, business strategy, data and creativity, which gives you a unique perspective on what really drives growth. That’s why moving into Head of Client Service felt like a natural next step. I’ve always loved the strategic side of the business, but I’ve also found a huge amount of fulfillment in building client relationships, developing people and creating high-performing teams. For me, planning and client service are inseparable. Planning helps identify the opportunity, while client service creates the trust and momentum needed to bring it to life. The magic happens when the two work together.
You’ll be leading a team across Brisbane and Darwin, what’s your leadership style, and what do you look for when you’re building a client service team?
My leadership style is pretty simple: back good people, give them room to grow and create an environment where they can do their best work. I look for people who are curious, proactive and genuinely care. The best client leaders combine commercial thinking with emotional intelligence. They’re able to build trusted relationships while never losing sight of the client’s business objectives. I’ve always believed great culture and great client outcomes go hand in hand. Whether we’re in Brisbane, Darwin or anywhere else, my focus is on building connected, high-performing teams that challenge each other, support each other and ultimately deliver great work for clients.
Brisbane has the 2032 Olympics on the horizon, how much is that shaping the conversations you’re having with clients right now?
Brisbane 2032 is certainly part of the conversation, but I think the real opportunity is everything that happens between now and then. The Olympics is acting as a catalyst for investment, growth and change across the region, and that’s already influencing how businesses think about their future. The most forward-thinking brands aren’t waiting until 2032 to get involved; they’re considering how they can build stronger connections with communities and consumers over the next few years.
AI is changing what clients expect from their agency day-to-day, how is that changing what “good client service” looks like?
AI is raising the bar for speed and efficiency, which means clients no longer need agencies to provide information, they need agencies to provide perspective. While AI can generate answers, clients still need trusted partners who can challenge thinking, connect the dots and navigate complexity. In many ways, AI is elevating the role of client service rather than diminishing it. The fundamentals haven’t changed: strong relationships, sound judgement and a deep understanding of a client’s business still matter. The difference is that AI gives us more time to focus on the strategic and human side of the partnership.
Ultimately, great client service isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about asking better questions and helping clients navigate what’s next.
What’s the first thing you want to fix, build or change in how Atomic 212° runs client service in Queensland and the NT?
My approach will be to listen, learn and understand what already works well, while contributing my experience across client service and communications planning. The goal isn’t to reinvent anything, it’s to help the team to continue growing, delivering great work and building strong client partnerships.
What’s a piece of conventional wisdom about client service you think is wrong or out of date?
That client service is about keeping clients happy. I’d argue it’s about making clients successful. Those two things often go hand in hand, but not always in that order.
If you could change one thing about how agencies and clients typically work together, what would it be?
The most valuable agency partnerships are the ones that help define the question, not just answer it. When clients and agencies tackle challenges together from the outset, you unlock better thinking, stronger decisions and ultimately better business outcomes.
Darwin is a much smaller, tighter market than Brisbane, what’s different about how you’ll need to operate there and what can bigger markets learn from how NT clients and agencies work together?
In a market like Darwin, your reputation travels faster than your credentials. Success comes from building genuine relationships, delivering on your word and becoming a trusted partner to your clients. There’s a level of closeness and accountability that naturally comes with a smaller market. I think that’s something every market can learn from; the strongest partnerships are still built on trust, not transaction.
Client service teams are often the ones absorbing pressure from both sides, clients wanting more for less, and internal teams stretched thin. How do you protect your team while still delivering for the client?
I’ve never believed that burnout is a badge of honour. Pressure is inevitable. Burnout isn’t. My role as a leader and something I take seriously is to create clarity, not chaos. Helping teams focus on what matters most, setting realistic expectations and creating an environment where great work can thrive. The best client outcomes don’t come from exhausted teams. They come from energised teams doing the best work of their careers.
Trust between agency and client can take years to build and one bad campaign to lose. How do you think about rebuilding or protecting that trust when things go wrong?
Trust isn’t built when everything’s going well. It’s built when things don’t go to plan. I’m passionate about this because the strongest client relationships I’ve had weren’t tested by success, they were tested by adversity. Clients don’t expect perfection. They expect transparency, accountability and a plan. The moment trust is tested is the moment leadership matters most.
Measurement and ROI scrutiny on marketing spend keeps intensifying, how has that changed the conversations you have with clients compared to five years ago?
Five years ago, clients wanted to know what happened. Today, they want to know why it happened, what it delivered and what happens next. Increased scrutiny has elevated the conversation in a good way. We’re spending less time reporting on activity and more time discussing impact, effectiveness and growth.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone earlier in their career who wants to end up in a client leadership role like yours?
Chase rooms, not job titles. The biggest leaps in my career didn’t come from promotions. They came from getting a seat at tables I wasn’t quite ready for. Surround yourself with people who raise the standard, challenge your thinking and make you better. That’s where careers are built.
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