SXSW Sydney : What You Missed & Why It Matters
3 Days. 3 Stages. 1 Big Theme: Marketing That Actually Drives Growth. If you weren’t at SXSW Sydney last week, we get it — there’s a lot going on.
Between the debates, workshops and keynote mic drops of SXSW Sydney, one message cut through loud and clear: The marketers who will thrive next aren’t just creative or data‑savvy — they’re commercially fluent, consistent, and bold enough to challenge business as usual.
Here’s what went down and what you need to take with you into 2026 planning.
Day 1: Consistency, Courage & The Campaign You’re About to Kill
We kicked off the takeover of Clear Hayes House with my boss, Paul Sinkinson’s, keynote “The Wear‑In Effect: Why Your Best Campaign Is the One You’re About to Kill.” He dismantled the worn‑out creative myth with some bold stats:
Of 51,000 creatives analysed, only 14 actually wore out.
Two‑thirds of video ROI is driven by the creative itself.
Yet in most cases, when campaigns get pulled too early, marketers throw away the chance for compounding memory and impact.
Paul’s call: Don’t waste good creative. Let it wear in, and build it so it’s fit for the long haul.
He also made a sharp point about consistency: it’s not about static repetition, but about running strong work long enough to build mental structures in your audience.
Next — the very first live recording of The CMO Office Podcast featuring Toby Aldred, MD of Saatchi & Saatchi Australia, brought depth to one of the most enduring questions: how to merge creativity with effectiveness. Toby walked us through his eight Effie wins and spoke about how creative brilliance needs to be married with accountability.
Later in the afternoon, our panel “Answering The Big Marketing Questions” featured our very own
and former Taco Bell CMO/Founder of Gallant Creative Advisory Andrew Howie who took the audience into the heart of the CMO’s boardroom challenge. Key take‑aways:You must stand up and defend your budget — which means bringing commercial fluency and clarity to conversations beyond marketing.
Investing in brand isn’t a luxury — it’s a cost‑efficient move. As Foo noted, strong creative that endures helps performance across the board.
Howie emphasised the long game: working to leave the brand “better than you found it” even when average CMO tenure is two years.
The upshot: Marketing is no longer just campaign‑driven — it’s business‑outcome driven.
👉 See Tom Loudon’s excellent write up of Jo, Andrew & Toby’s insights in the Little Black Book.
Day 2: “When” to Refresh vs Maximise — Not If
Our debate this day wasn’t about if to refresh creative, but when — and how data should inform that.
On one side, Team Refresh, led by Jody Elston, Chief Strategy Office of 303 MullenLowe, accused marketers of playing “safe” and settling for mediocrity. She asked: Are you ambitious enough for growth? and cited standout campaigns from Old Spice, Bluey, Weet‑Bix and McDonald’s as proof bold, brand‑centric creative works.
On the flip side, Team Maximise, championed by our old friend Toby Aldred, delivered a psychology‑first argument: humans don’t remember on the first exposure. His line really landed:
“If people actually get sick of your ad, you’ve finally won.”
Because repetition builds memory; familiarity builds impact.
Toby stressed: once you find well‑crafted, distinctive creative — put it to the grind.
One cheeky moment: he had a photo of his dog in his presentation as a metaphor—showing how repetition (even a familiar image) drives recall and emotional connection.
Don’t chase novelty for novelty’s sake. Consistency drives business outcomes.
What both camps agreed on:
Great creative is the second biggest growth lever, only after advertising spend.
Most marketers stop campaigns before they peak; our analyses confirm that letting creative wear in builds better ROI and stronger memory.
But renewals do have a place — for new audiences, contexts or moments. The trick: refresh with purpose, not fear.
Day 3: Beyond the Last Click - Mastering Effectiveness in an Uncertain Future
In the final workshop — Marketing Planning in an Uncertain Future with Paul and Jo‑Ann — the focus shifted firmly to the business of marketing.
Key messages:
Brand is the multiplier: brands that run brand + performance often see up to 90% higher ROI. And brand‑messaging creative often outperforms performance‑only creative around 80% of the time.
Last‑click attribution is dying: 80% of marketers still rely on it — but AI is changing search so people increasingly get answers without clicking. The concept of a “click” is eroding.
The 25% search ceiling isn’t about paid search being broken — it’s about recognising its limit in the mix: beyond ~25% of spend in search, you’re likely better deploying budget into brand or other channels with higher incremental impact.
Commercial fluency is non‑negotiable: Marketing might drive ~50% of revenue outcomes; the rest comes from operations, economy, competition. If you want a seat at the table, speak in commercial outcomes and business metrics — not just campaigns.
Consistency compounds: The same message repeated over relevant channels builds stronger memory structures. Pull your campaigns too early — you lose momentum and memory; keep them long enough — they add cumulative impact.
Final Word: Smarter, Bolder, More Balanced
After three days on stage, one truth emerged in every keynote, debate and workshop:
Marketing that works isn’t built on instinct — it’s built on evidence.
Great creative + strong execution + consistency = growth.
Brand and performance don’t compete — they complement.
And the smartest move? Knowing when to evolve, based on data — not assumptions.
If you missed it live, don’t worry — this is just the beginning. The next wave of marketing belongs to those who combine bold creative, measurable outcomes and commercial fluency.
Ready to unpack this for your business? Connect with us, dive into the live podcast episode, or comment below with your biggest challenge.
Come chat to us — we’re always up for decoding what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next.
The CMO Office posts go out weekly but for a more frequent dose of data and expertise follow us on LinkedIn and/or TikTok too.