THE WHY
Some people collect certificates, some collect experience, some rely on instinct alone — Duck Mother can lean on education, experience and imagination to create strategies that drive results.
Knowledge
Duck Mother is in the rare half of marketers with formal training, has a commitment to continual education, and a fascination with behavioural science.
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I’m an accidental marketer. Writing was my thing, but more briefs came from marketing departments than editors. This quickly segued into branding and comms work.
My first Chief Marketing Officer role was unexpected; I made it work through instinct, creativity and a supportive boss. A second CMO gig incentivised me to get serious. Enter Mark Ritson’s Mini MBA, which confirmed what I thought I knew, filled the gaps I didn’t know existed, and joined the dots to make me a more complete, confident, effective marketer.
That lit a fire. From there came Romaniuk, Sharp, Binet & Field; behavioural science from Kahneman, Shotton and Sutherland; and creativity from Dave Trott. Knowledge that’s now hard-wired into how Duck Mother works.
Experience
Duck Mother has created marketing strategies, launched brands, managed partnerships, exhibited, and created branded content across multiple industries.
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Even before formal training, I’d worked for car brands, banks, and sports teams. In my first CMO role we launched several brands into local and international markets. I learned fast that theory and reality don’t always align — like launching Snaffle with just eight weeks’ runway after an acquisition.
A combination of market research, competitor analysis and creative thinking led me to propose a new product approach, which ultimately drove a 50% uplift in contract value. Five years later, Snaffle had a AUD54m valuation, 16.1% prompted recognition and 9.1/10 customer satisfaction — with partnerships including Katy Perry and MAFS.
But the real win? A strategy simple enough to fit on two slides: a single brand device, a handful of codes, relentlessly applied. Everyone — from internal teams to media owners — knew it. That’s the clarity Duck Mother brings to your business.
Imagination
Duck Mother is driven by a restless urge to do things differently, fuelled by a career that blends creativity, strategy, and life lived off the beaten path.
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“I’ve had an idea…” has set off alarm bells in many an agency or boardroom — but it’s been the constant thread in my career. The real story is where those ideas come from:
Going on tour with Metallica.
Modelling clothes in Chernobyl.
Founding a charity in Nepal.
Writing travel stories from Bali to Syria.
Covering sport from cricket to bowls.
Publishing three books and editing magazines.
Driving across Europe for car brands.
That eclectic mix means I don’t arrive with recycled thinking. I arrive with perspective — and strategies that don’t follow the flock.