THE ICONIC names Emotive as creative agency as next growth phase takes shape

THE ICONIC has appointed Emotive as its creative agency following a competitive pitch, handing the independent creative company responsibility for the next phase of its brand platform.

Emotive will partner with THE ICONIC on overarching creative direction, building on the retailer’s Got You Looking platform as the business looks to sharpen its cultural role and connect more closely with audience behaviour, customer engagement and commercial growth.

The appointment comes as THE ICONIC moves from rebuilding brand energy and distinctiveness into a new growth phase.

Joanna Robinson, chief marketing officer at THE ICONIC, said Got You Looking had played an important role in rebuilding momentum around the brand.

“Got You Looking has been an important platform for THE ICONIC, helping rebuild energy, distinctiveness and momentum around the brand,” Robinson said.

“As we move into our next phase of growth, the opportunity is to make that platform work even harder. Emotive stood out because they understood both sides of that challenge: how to create work that earns attention, and how to connect that attention to commercial outcomes.

“Their thinking was clear, commercially grounded and highly relevant to where THE ICONIC is heading next.”

Gavin McLeod, chief creative officer at Emotive, said the agency’s role would be to unlock more potential from the existing platform rather than replace it.

“Got You Looking already has real energy and stretch,” McLeod said.

“Our role isn’t to reinvent it, but to unlock more of its potential. We saw an opportunity for it to become more than a marketing platform, something that influences every part of THE ICONIC experience.

“What was most exciting was how enthusiastically that thinking was embraced in the pitch, and we’re looking forward to bringing it to life together.”

Jessica Cluff, head of earned creative at Emotive, said earned thinking would play a central role in the creative approach.

“What excites us and the team at THE ICONIC is the role earned thinking can play in the creative,” Cluff said.

“A key part of our response was finding ways to give the brand and Got You Looking platform cultural relevance. Because it’s one thing to get people looking, but we want to get them scrolling, searching, buying and returning.

“We do that by leaning into culture – helping the brand show up in people’s worlds in a really relevant and authentic way.”

Sebastian Revell, chief strategy officer at Emotive, said the opportunity was to turn more of the attention generated by Got You Looking into action.

“Got You Looking has already done a brilliant job of getting Australia to look again,” Revell said.

“The opportunity now is to help turn more of that attention into action. For us, this is exactly the kind of partnership we’re built for. An ambitious client, a brilliant brand and a shared belief that if you can change how people feel, you are more likely to move them to act.”

The win adds to Emotive’s recent new business momentum, following appointments by Google Pixel, AMP North and Nespresso.

It also strengthens the Coogee Beach-based independent’s focus on culture-first, earned-led ideas designed to drive participation, conversation and impact.