Hi, I’m Robyn, a Creative Director working in Melbourne.
I began my career as a young Art Director working at the hottest agency in South Africa, Hunt Lascaris TBWA, being trained by some of the country’s best advertising talent. How lucky was I? In my first 2 years I won Grand Prix in the print category at the Loeries Awards and my love for advertising was born. I gained a wealth of experience across multiple brands, working at top creative agencies in South Africa, including a 13 year stint at Ogilvy Johannesburg. As an Integrated Creative Director, I helped grow brands like Audi, Dove, Cadbury, Kimberley Clark and KFC - specialising in brand and communication, strategy, retail, digital and behaviour change campaigns. In 2018, I started a new chapter in my life when I packed up my young family and moved across the pond to join VML in Australia.
During my time at VML Australia, the agency tripled in size with the winning of the prestigious Defence Force Recruiting account in 2019, and the agency was ranked 6th Australian Agency of the Decade by Cannes Lions and 3rd Australian Agency of the Decade by Campaign Brief. For the last 5 years VML Australia has placed in the list of the Top 5 Australian agencies in Campaign Brief’s ‘The Work’; including being crowned both Australian Agency of the Year and APAC Agency of the Year in 2023.
In Australia, I have worked on brands like Australian Unity, Monash University, WorkSafe, Public Transport Victoria, Colgate and Simplot. I helped run the biggest account in the country - Australian Defence Force Recruiting. Shooting an F35 jet out of the back of a C17 aircraft being a career highlight. I’ve squeezed a 'birthday present' into a radio ad for Australia Post, taught teenage boys to ‘Just be Better’ to combat gender stereotypes, and hidden a print ad inside an audio ad for the Royal Australian Navy.
I have been fortunate to work with amazingly talented people over the course of my career. My work has been recognised globally, winning many creative and effectiveness awards; most notably One Show Gold, Clios, New York Festival, D&AD Wood and Graphite pencils, London International Grand Prix, and Cannes Gold Lions. This includes South Africa’s first Cannes Gold in Film in 11 years for Topsy 'Selinah’. In 2011 this piece of work was chosen as one of the top 10 ‘ads worth spreading’ at TED talks. ‘Selinah’ was also listed as one of the top ten ads of the decade in 2020 by Little Black Book.
I am honoured to have been invited to judge advertising and design award shows including The One Show in 2024, Gerety Awards, Spikes Asia, AWARD award and the Loeries in South Africa. In 2021 I put up my hand to be the Co-Vice President of the MADC - the Melbourne Advertising, Design and Creativity Club – inspiring world-class creativity in the city of Melbourne and beyond. I have a passion for growing the next generation of creatives, and this has led me to mentoring and judging portfolios at the prestigious Australian AWARD school and contributing to the School of Media and Communication at RMIT University.
As a founding member of The Aunties, a support program that protects and champions women and marginalised genders, I am working to make this industry more equitable for all. I live for creativity, craft and collaborating with talented people to make work that moves people and affects positive change in our world.
When I’m not making ads, I enjoy hiking or cycling through the Australian countryside with my family. I have also developed a fine appreciation of Melbourne coffee.
Achievements:
2025 - Gerety Awards Jury
2024 - VML is no. 1 in Campaign Brief The Work for the second year in a row
2024 - Joined the Aunties on a panel at RMIT University, Wicked Problems with Fiona Finn
2024 - Launched 'Support Talk' with The Aunties
2024 - One Show Jury - Cultural Driver category
2024—AWARD School Integrated Lecturer, Australia
2023 - LIA Global agency of the year - VML AUNZ
2023 -VML is APAC Agency of the year - Campaign Brief The Work
2023 - VML is no. 1 agency in Australia - Campaign Brief The Work
2023 - Creative Pool Jury
2023 - Presenter at Mumbrella Audioland Conference, Sydney
2022—B&T Women In Media Winner - The Aunties Mentor
2022—B&T Women In Media Highly Commended - The Aunties Champion of Change
2022 - AWARD Awards Jury - Design category
2022 - AWARD School Jury, Australia
2021—Google Rare Leadership Delegate (APAC)
2021 - Founding member of The Aunties
2021 to now - Vice President of The MADC - Melbourne Design & Advertising Club
2020 - AWARD School Jury, Australia
2019 - Spikes Asia Jury - Brand Experience & Activation category
2025 - Gerety Awards Jury
2024 - VML is no. 1 in Campaign Brief The Work for the second year in a row
2024 - Joined the Aunties on a panel at RMIT University, Wicked Problems with Fiona Finn
2024 - Launched 'Support Talk' with The Aunties
2024 - One Show Jury - Cultural Driver category
2024—AWARD School Integrated Lecturer, Australia
2023 - LIA Global agency of the year - VML AUNZ
2023 -VML is APAC Agency of the year - Campaign Brief The Work
2023 - VML is no. 1 agency in Australia - Campaign Brief The Work
2023 - Creative Pool Jury
2023 - Presenter at Mumbrella Audioland Conference, Sydney
2022—B&T Women In Media Winner - The Aunties Mentor
2022—B&T Women In Media Highly Commended - The Aunties Champion of Change
2022 - AWARD Awards Jury - Design category
2022 - AWARD School Jury, Australia
2021—Google Rare Leadership Delegate (APAC)
2021 - Founding member of The Aunties
2021 to now - Vice President of The MADC - Melbourne Design & Advertising Club
2020 - AWARD School Jury, Australia
2019 - Spikes Asia Jury - Brand Experience & Activation category
Some kind words:
“Her positive attitude, warm personality and can-do demeanour is both galvanising and infectious.” - Adam Brami - Client Partnerships Director, Proximity New Zealand.
“I was honoured to have experienced a Creative Leader that cared as much about the effectiveness of a campaign as she did the final creative product.” - Jane Jacob - Consumer and Shopper Connections Manager Africa, Sparkling Beverages.
“…she has a particular talent for storytelling and eliciting powerful human emotions with her work.” - Stefan Siedentopf – Regional Head of Strategy, Ogilvy.
“Her inclusive creative director style meant that she was seen as a partner by clients rather than a supplier. This approach has also resulted in creatives growing tremendously under her.” – Molefi Thulo, ECD Ogilvy Johannesburg.