Robyn Bergmann has over 20 years’ experience in the advertising industry. She began her career as a young Art Director at South Africa’s top agency at the time, Hunt Lascaris TBWA, and trained with some of the country’s greatest advertising talents. Robyn has won many creative and effectiveness awards including One Show, Clios, D&AD, London International, and Cannes 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.
Before moving across the world to join VMLY&R Melbourne in 2018, Robyn spent 14 years working at Ogilvy Johannesburg as an integrated Creative Director across brands like Audi, Dove, Cadbury, Kimberley Clark and KFC. Gaining experience in brand and communication, strategy, retail, digital and behaviour change marketing.
During her time at VMLY&R Melbourne, the agency has tripled in size with the winning of the prestigious Defence Force Recruiting account in 2019, and VMLY&R has been ranked 6th Australian Agency of the Decade by Cannes Lions and 3rd Australian Agency of the Decade by Campaign Brief. In 2022, VMLY&R was named the 2nd best agency in Australia and the 3rd best in APAC in Campaign Brief The Work.
Robyn has judged at many advertising and design award shows including Spikes Asia, AWARD award and the Loeries in South Africa. In 2021 she was appointed 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. Her passion for growing the next generation of creatives has led her to mentoring and judging portfolios at the prestigious Australian AWARD school.
As a founding member of The Aunties, a support program that protects and champions women in creative industries, Robyn continues to fight for diversity and inclusion in the industry she loves so much. Robyn lives for creativity, craft and collaborating with talented people to make work that moves people and affects positive change in our world.
When she’s not making ads, Robyn enjoys hiking or cycling through the Australian countryside with her young family. She has also developed a fine appreciation of Melbourne coffee.
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.