Mediaweek has teamed up with the IMAA to give its indie leaders a platform to talk about their work, thoughts on the industry, and their interests outside their working lives.
This week, the spotlight lands on Justine Butler, a quietly influential operator at Media Merchants, the Brisbane-born agency that’s been doing things its own way long before “indie” became a badge of honour.
Founded back in 1999 by James Fitzgerald, Media Merchants was built on a simple premise: deliver results that actually move the needle. No fluff, no overcomplication, just sharp, effective media thinking tied to tangible outcomes. It didn’t take long for the business to evolve, expanding into creative, production and digital, but that core philosophy has held firm.
Butler joined in 2003 and has been part of that evolution ever since, helping shape the agency’s media offering as it grew from a small operation into a well-established player with a reputation for straight-talking advice, strong client relationships and a team culture people tend to stick around for.
So, who is the woman behind the work? And what keeps her engaged after more than two decades in the same business?
Justine Butler
What sparked your interest in launching your own indie agency?
The spark that inspired our CEO, James Fitzgerald, to launch Media Merchants came from the realisation that retail advertisers were being forced into an agency model that didn’t keep pace with their businesses. This was 27 years ago, and at the time, traditional agencies were simply too slow.
I joined the agency a few years after it was established and loved the business’s energy, best described as well-structured mayhem.
Getting a call from a client on Monday saying they needed a national campaign live on TV or radio by Wednesday – and making that happen – was both thrilling and terrifying. But we did it, and a couple of decades ago, that wasn’t typically something agencies could deliver on both the creative and media fronts.
I think that bold ambition to push the boundaries of what can be achieved is what has kept me on the indie side and at MM for so long.
What sets your agency apart from others?
MM today hasn’t strayed too far from that original passion for retail, and while I don’t think a retail focus is unique amongst agencies, I do believe in how we deliver. We are a genuine full-service agency, providing an end-to-end solution for clients, which now includes support for those seeking to launch and leverage their own retail media networks.
We’ve become a partner that can span the delivery of marketing solutions for clients and, more recently, the commercialisation of their owned data and retail ecosystem for endemic and non-endemic brands to activate within.
As TerryWhite Chemmart prepared to launch its retail media network, TWC Connect, last year, we worked as part of their project team, tasked with establishing commercial and operational frameworks.
It was a very organic extension of our services, helping them develop a product that would meet the expectations of brands and agencies regarding product positioning, pricing, and measurement.
It’s that willingness and capability to look beyond the standard agency remit and deliver new and effective solutions for modern retail that differentiate MM.
Indie agencies are increasingly seeing success with major pitches.
What differentiates your pitch approach from that of larger agencies?
It starts with being clear-eyed about where MM can genuinely add value and whether a partnership makes sense to pursue.
Larger agencies don’t always have full discretion over which pitches they participate in, and I think it becomes evident in the quality of the response when a team’s heart isn’t fully in it.
That’s not to say we don’t value every invitation or opportunity – but we will never be an agency that pitches relentlessly as part of a numbers game.
We have long client tenure because, from the outset, we take the time to assess the value we can bring and whether a client’s business will truly thrive in our hands.
From there, our approach is unequivocally client-driven. Less time
grandstanding about us, and more time proving we understand the
business challenge.
Pitching should always be honest, respectful and deeply considered – unafraid to challenge convention or deviate from a safe path in pursuit of delivering real outcomes.
Who are your latest agency account wins?
We were appointed by Crimsafe and Compassion Australia last year, and it’s been a privilege to work with such purpose-driven brands.
While not brands you consider having similar traits at first glance, both
are inherently focused on the protection and safety of people, be it through the best-in-market home security or by raising much-needed funds for children living in poverty.
Most recently, we have been appointed to manage performance digital for TerryWhite Chemmart, extending our remit beyond traditional media, which we’ve had for over eight years.
Expanding our service scope for existing clients, or growing due to their success, has always been a priority for the agency. Client retention speaks louder than wins in my view.
What’s a piece of work you’re most proud of?
That’s always a difficult question. Rather than a singular campaign or client, it’s the transformation of the agency itself over the past few yearsn that I’m most proud of.
Working alongside my co-Managing Director, Michael Gee, we’ve focused heavily on staying at pace with the industry – no small task given the rate of change we all navigate daily.
Expanding our digital teams, along with our programmatic, market mix modelling and data capabilities, has been a major focus, and our clients are now seeing the benefit.
I’m also immensely proud of our people. We recently held our annual 10+ Club dinner, celebrating team members who have been with the agency for a decade or more.
Retaining great people is just as important as retaining great clients, particularly in an industry known for high turnover. I take real pride in being surrounded by such an exceptional group across our Brisbane and Sydney offices.
As a leader, how do you switch off from work and unwind after a busy week?
As a leader, do you ever really switch off? I’ll be honest, it’s something I do find difficult to do, but recognise how necessary it is to remain an effective and responsible leader. It’s not just important for my own wellbeing, but sets the culture and tone of the business.
As a busy parent of teens with an overly busy mind, I try to find 30 minutes
a day or a couple of hours on weekends to find silence – a short walk or
sitting with a good book or puzzle. It’s what I need to be the best wife, mother and leader I strive to be.
What does success look like for you over the next 12 months?
Let’s be honest, we’re all facing serious headwinds in the coming year, driven by challenging economic and political conditions. Success, for me, will be ensuring we’re doing everything we can as an agency to help our clients navigate through it.
If, in 12 months’ time, I can sit down with our clients and we’re all smiling, having met commercial targets, that’s the ultimate success metric.
How do we get there? It starts with being responsive and proactive in engaging with clients, identifying when strategies need to be adjusted to reflect a changing consumer reality.
It’s not rocket science, but it does require dedication, a willingness to discard the old playbook, and a strong framework to test, learn and measure results.
Move quickly, stay agile, and ensure client stakeholders and decision-makers are aligned. As agencies, we can bring everything to the table – but unless clients are ready to act, results will remain limited.
Success this year will very much be a shared journey.
See here for past editions of IMAA Spotlight.
Main image: Justine Butler