At Thinkerbell, they call it “Measured Magic” – the collision of scientific enquiry and hardcore creativity that’s helped the indie agency build a reputation for doing things a little differently. Fewer silos, more chemistry experiments.
It’s a fitting backdrop for Kathryn Furnari, National Head Media Thinker, who works at the intersection of media, strategy, creativity and culture – where the best ideas are expected to travel well beyond a media plan.
Mediaweek has teamed up with the Independent Media Agencies of Australia 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, Furnari steps into the Spotlight.
Kathryn Furnari
When did the agency join the IMAA? 2025
What sets your agency and its offering apart from others? Thinkerbell exists to make the world more interesting, and we do this through measured magic; the fusing of marketing science with hardcore creativity to deliver ideas that actually work.
At Thinkerbell, we don’t start with channels, formats or platforms; we start with insight and human behaviour. Our capabilities are built on the belief that media is most powerful when it’s designed to elicit a reaction, not just to gain attention.
Through our alchemy model, media, creative and experience are developed together, so we’re able to design work that’s more enduring and effective. We never just ask “how do we reach people?” We ask “what behaviour are we changing, and how do we design for that?” which I love.
Indie agencies are increasingly seeing success with major pitches. What differentiates your pitch approach from that of larger agencies?
Our pitch approach is practical and deeply considered. We don’t overproduce or overpromise- we focus on solving the actual problem the business is facing, within the real constraints they operate in.
We don’t do ta-da’s. We get into working with our clients with Think Tanks and Tink Tanks from the get-go – it’s our unique way of working together, bringing our Thinkers and Tinkers together.
In a world of vested interests and backhand deals, clarity and transparency are vital, especially in this market. Our clients are under pressure more than ever to deliver real results and find an agency partner that can create efficiencies by bringing various disciplines together under a single source of strategy, resulting in more effective solutions.
Who have been your latest Agency account wins?
Our most recent account win was Retail Food Group; we have also expanded our remit into media with several pre-existing clients, too. Our clients seem to value the efficiencies of bringing various disciplines together.
What’s another indie agency that you see is crushing it, and why?
Mother is crushing it right now because they’ve evolved into this brilliant “Mother Family” that treats media, design, and tech as one giant creative sandbox rather than siloed departments.
By launching Media by Mother late last year, they’ve essentially told the industry that integration is the way forward. They also still sit at their famous long table, they still live by the “make our children proud” mantra, and they’ve proven that you can be global, massive, and “indie” all at once, without losing the soul that made them cool in the first place.
What’s a piece of work you’re most proud of?
For Horticulture Innovation (aka Hort Innovation), we have created an enduring brand platform for bananas, allowing consumers to use a banana to gain entry into gyms and swimming pools around the country.
It is helping make bananas synonymous with energy, and driving increased consumption. I’m also really proud of the great work we do with NFPs like Lifeline, The Salvation Army, Leukaemia Foundation, and BCNA.
We often joke that we aren’t saving lives working in media, but it’s a privilege to support these businesses that do.
As a leader, how do you switch off from work and unwind after a busy week?
Perhaps ironically, I tend to unwind by being active. I am one of those crazy people who run marathons for fun, so if I’m not out running, I’m usually playing golf or out walking my ball-obsessed Kelpie, Hendricks.
What does success look like for you over the next 12 months?
Success is simple: more measured magic, delivered through Alchemy.
We want to be the agency that finally kills the siloed model by proving that Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned work better when they’re born together.
Over the next year, we’re focused on scaling our Measured Magic to drive real behaviour change and business results, all while staying 100% transparent and agnostic.
Oh, and I’m also manifesting a number seven on the dart board for my Thinkerbelliversary… Come on, Margie, get practising!
What can the industry expect from your agency?
More Measured Magic.
We’re currently sitting on a pipeline of work that demonstrates why integrated agencies are the undisputed future of this industry. We’ve also levelled up our AI game to pair human intuition with a smarter toolkit, freeing up our Thinkers and Tinkers for pure creativity.
We’re here for shared wins and to make the world interesting. We’re not like other agencies.
We’re Thinkerbell. And we’re just getting started.
See here for past editions of IMAA Spotlight.
Main image: Kathryn Furnari