Calculated Creativity at SXSW Sydney: Making the financial case for brand-first marketing
At this year’s SXSW Sydney, Oonagh Flanagan, Phoebe Keogh, Jules Hall and Ryan Jon shared insights into the Webjet.com.au brand transformation journey. In a fast-paced panel, they unpacked how Calculated Creativity was applied to quantify brand-first investment and creative decisions.
Phoebe set the scene around Webjet’s next phase of growth and the need to rebalance its marketing mix to support long-term brand value.
Jules introduced the idea of the “intelligence era,” where data and creativity don’t compete but work together. It’s the thinking behind The Hallway’s Calculated Creativity promise - where imagination meets intelligence.
Webjet’s move toward brand-first investment was intentional, Backed by data from modelling done by The Hallway, they knew that to reach new audiences and to grow, they had to shift focus from prioritising spend in performance media. Storytelling emerged as a powerful shortcut to trust, especially in podcasts, or as Phoebe put it, “the friends in our ears.”
The panel also called out a major inefficiency in the industry: creative and media working separately. When those teams collaborate under one roof the work becomes sharper, more truthful and built for how people actually experience brands.
The conversation wrapped on the power of consistency, with creative and media working hand-in-hand to ensure the brand shows up most effectively across every touchpoint.
In a changing landscape, one theme stood out: brands that combine intelligence, imagination and authenticity are the ones built for lasting impact.
