Weave.
Our Industry Profile takes a look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.
Marijana Simunovic: Co-founder and managing director at Weave
Time in current role:
8 years.
How would you describe what the company does?
Weave is a brand design and experience agency. We help businesses build brands through strategy, story and design, and then bring those brands to life in the real world through packaging, content, campaigns, events and experiences.
What do I do day to day?
A bit of everything… which is probably the reality of running a small independent agency. I lead the business, oversee client relationships, work closely with our team on proposals and new opportunities, and stay close to the work to make sure what we’re putting into the world is thoughtful, commercially smart and creatively strong.
Define your job in one word:
Weaving - no pun intended! My role is really about bringing together different threads - strategy, creativity, clients, team and execution - and making sure they all connect.
I got into my industry because:
I had a love of live events and shows from a young age. I vividly remember watching the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympics and thinking, ‘that’s what I want to do’. Four years later, I was on a plane to Athens as part of the Ceremonies team for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. That was my start in the world of live events and brand experience, and after many twists and turns, it led me to where I am today.
What’s the biggest industry wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
I think one of the biggest challenges is the race to do more, faster, for less - often at the expense of strategic thinking. The best work needs time, trust and proper collaboration.
Previous companies:
I started out as a 19-year-old work experience student at Jack Morton Worldwide and worked my way up to become a Producer. After that I spent time freelancing, did another full-time stint at ABT / Precinct, and eventually co-founded Weave.
Notable campaigns/initiatives:
It’s not one specific campaign, but I’d have to call out the work we’ve done for Four Pillars Gin over the past decade. Not only does it span the full breadth of what we do - brand building, campaigns, design and experiences - it’s also one of the best examples of true collaboration and partnership between agency and client. I’m really proud of that relationship and the body of work we’ve built together over time.
The other would have to be the rebrand of Toohey’s, which we did with the Lion Beverages team a few years ago. It’s not often you get the chance to evolve the identity of an Australian icon that’s been around for more than 150 years!
Who has been a great mentor to you?
I’ve actually been incredibly fortunate to have had a few mentors in my career, most of them from my first job at Jack Morton. My first boss, Doug Tremlett, was the Executive Creative Director when I started and taught me how to craft a story, write a proposal, and understand the importance of culture. Tara Back and Adam Charles are two of the best leaders I’ve had the good fortune to work for — they always led by example, with an incredible mix of humility, vulnerability and strength when it was most needed. And Matt Jones, one of the smartest people I’ve ever met, and someone I’m lucky enough to still work with today, taught me that the best creative work starts with great strategic thinking.
Words of advice:
Surround yourself with people who are smarter, better and more skilled than you, and give them the space to do their thing. Don’t let ego get in the way of good work or building a great team. If you want it to be all about you, you’ll never really grow.
If I wasn’t doing this for a living:
I think it would still be something related - something that involved thinking about experience, detail and how people feel. It would probably also need an element of pressure. As much as I loathe it, I often find motivation and inspiration in those moments.
My philosophy is:
Do good work, be good to people, and play the long game.
My favourite advert is:
A bit of a cliché, but like the rest of the world I’m obsessed with the recent Margot Robbie x Kylie Chanel ad. Genius.
Subscriptions:
I tend to subscribe pretty broadly: industry news, design and culture, business, and probably a little too much fashion, which is not great for my bank balance.
In five years time I'll be:
Hopefully growing Weave into one of the most respected independent brand and experience agencies around. And hopefully still with the same team, because I can’t imagine doing this job without them.
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