Megaphone born to ignite a new-wave workplace culture

The Silicon Review

Winding the clock back to 2012 — Megaphone, in its infancy, had two overarching and wildly ambitious goals plastered on its then-little office wall: become the best marketing agency in Australia (tick), and, of even higher importance, build a reputation as the nation's premier workplace. In the early 2010s, company culture wasn't something you expected in a role — corporate work environments reigned supreme and work-life balance had barely entered the mainstream vocabulary. Striving to reinvent how employees felt about work, Megaphone was born out of the desire to build a workplace that went against the norm and put culture first — a workplace that was fulfilling, fundamentally growth-oriented, and, above all else, fun. Really fun. But, what exactly is culture? For Megaphone, it's what happens during the 9-to-5. It's a constant focus on learning and self-development; its book clubs, mentorships, and extensive training propel staff to grow not solely as marketing experts but as humans. Once management had fostered an environment full of trailblazers and problem-solvers — innovators who enjoyed their work and relished the challenge — the clients, reaped the rewards. With every staff member chasing holistic personal and professional growth, Megaphone could offer authentic service to businesses unmatched by most in the industry.

Services tailored to every need

But it was never — and still remains this way — a one-size-fits-all solution. The megaphone team understands that no two businesses are alike, and what works for one seldom works for another. That tangents seamlessly to one of the agency’s pride points: the ability to take a step back, analyze the fundamental growth needs of a business, and work alongside owners and internal marketing teams to not just boost sales, but improve the bottom line, build brand loyalty, construct communities; and help businesses create, work toward, and achieve long-lasting goals. Thanks to Megaphone’s broad spectrum of expertise, strategies are tailored toward clients’ individual needs — cookie-cutter is a foreign concept to this multiple-award-winning agency. Whether it be through social ad campaigns (i.e., Facebook, Instagram, Google, TikTok, Pinterest, Spotify), SEO, content creation, videography, influencer outreach, email marketing, B2B lead generation, or a combination, Megaphone works toward holistic growth — which is why 96% of clients continue month after month.

Mastering the business-audience connection

Before megaphone’s marketing strategists even think of running ads, testing creatives, or building brand assets, they take a step back. Target audience is crucial on two fronts: understanding and connecting. To understand a business’ real target market (not an idealistic one), megaphone doesn’t make assumptions or take guesses; it uses data to define where audience interest genuinely lies. Once that’s down pat, it’s all about deep and meaningful connection. To connect with their clients’ audiences, megaphone relies upon empathy — that is, the ability to put themselves in the shoes of customers, understand their deepest pain points and desires, and, above all, be relatable and authentic with communication.

Staying on the pulse

Being able to constantly outperform the sleuth of second-tier marketing agencies — and, in turn, deliver killer results for clients — requires Megaphone’s team to constantly be learning. That’s why development through podcasts and books is the norm; why pushing boundaries isn’t encouraged, it’s mandatory; and why constantly testing new avenues is simply part of the daily routine.

This non-stop testing is the foundation of the industry-leading framework making headlines: the MegaVortex. As the digital marketing landscape is ever-changing, Megaphone remains on the pulse by constantly learning, constantly testing, and constantly thinking outside the box.

Helping businesses, day in, day out — by blocking out the noise

As the e-commerce landscape continues to become more saturated and competitive, standing out from the crowd is fundamental to success. But how can a business stand out? And with a bounty of tools, platforms, plugins, and third parties vying for attention, not to mention often-conflicting sources of information, how can a business block out the noise and find the right pathway to success?

At Megaphone, the massive internal database of ad results and collective learnings from hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of ad spend definitely helps—likewise, the incredibly talented and proactive team members. Largely, however, the ability to hone in on success comes down to the testing Vortex — by orchestrating more smart tests (read: not just testing for the sake of it) than anyone other agency, Megaphone ensures that their clients are always achieving better results and gleaning myriad vital insights along the way.

Bridging the gap between traditional media and digital marketing.

As the world races through a technological revolution, those who do not adapt will get left behind — a premise that rings true for both marketing agencies and businesses looking to recruit them. That’s why Megaphone focuses on bridging the gap between traditional media and digital marketing, taking the core advertising principles of bygone decades, harnessing mission-critical learnings, and adapting them to the modern age. When a business reliant on legacy advertising approaches Megaphone, the team transitions what’s already working offline to the digital world, where the extensive benefits of trackable and analyzable data await.

While each case differs, some clients may transition from old-school radio ads to new-age podcasts and Spotify, shift from OOH media to Google display ads, or non-quantifiable TV ads to more effective, cheaper, and higher-converting social media ads. Ultimately, this does lure the customer into the purchasing funnel, after which Megaphone capitalizes on its sleuth of retargeting methods to get that add-to-cart again, and again, and again. Plus, thanks to Premium partnerships with platforms like Google and Facebook, the recently-rebranded agency sits at the forefront of updates and innovations.

A non-negotiable to scaling: data analytics

At the core of Megaphone’s process is data analysis. By remaining objective and learning from the numbers, campaigns can be constructed (and continually adapted) with an unbiased mindset and, therefore, a direct and clear pathway for success. Hand in hand with data analytics is data education: for Megaphone’s management, staff, and, most importantly, its partnership businesses. From a financial perspective alone, a robust data-oriented strategy — one that doubles down on triumphs and regularly trims the fat — can optimize advertising budgets and improve a brand’s bottom line.

Beyond (yet intertwined with) the dollars and cents, data creates patterns that indicate the best way forward; indicators about audience behaviors, new and unexpected target markets, and best-selling products - and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. By eliminating the guesswork, the ‘gut feeling’, and the assumptions, this statistics-driven process triggers Megaphone to find — and solve — problems efficiently and effectively.

An agency where you practice what you preach

In a fast-growing company that preaches the advantage of data-driven campaigns and tailored, needs-based strategies, Megaphone puts its money where its mouth is and markets its own array of services through various digital platforms. Through social ads, B2B outreach, and providing content (i.e., case studies, video tutorials, and podcasts) that showcase genuine expertise, Megaphone creates a steady stream of leads on which it can capitalize at will — if they believe the business is the right fit.

Alongside marketing its services, equally important to Megaphone is marketing its career opportunities. Remember, the agency’s goal is and always has been to be the best place to work. So, by attracting rockstars who can thrive in the progression-focused environment and achieve win after win for clients, classic word-of-mouth marketing goes a long way in bringing in both talent and leads.

Always with an eye on the digital horizon

An ever-evolving landscape requires an ever-evolving list of services, which is why megaphone employs a dedicated team of innovators and researchers to uncover what’s trending, what’s converting, and what can move the needle for its diverse clientele. Recently, the now-international agency has leaned heavily into TikTok as the platform continues to dominate the playing field, while also delivering unique Spotify and SEO strategies in relevant situations.

An exciting future awaits!

All this rapid growth and all these coveted awards are just the beginning. Having been crowned the #1 Social Media Agency in Australia, Megaphone has now set its sights even bigger… much bigger: become the world’s best agency. Led by pioneering CEO Lauren Oakes, Megaphone is midway through a significant hiring push that will see it grow exponentially; all the while maintaining the core culture and learning principles that have seen it draw remarkable success to date. And after expanding into the USA in 2020 and the UK in 2022, with plans in motion for landing in Asia, broader Europe, and Canada, Megaphone has but one message to agencies worldwide: watch out.