WHY
Creativity is the critical skill for people and organisations to innovate, compete, adapt, and find connectivity. In a world where AI will soon play a main character role, creativity will be a defining skill and competitive advantage. The two cultural forces of creativity and commerce influence our lives and the world around us every day, yet their powerful pairing still struggles to find its place in boardrooms, in policy, and in classrooms. Too often they're thought of or utilised separately. Left brain / Right brain. Logic / Emotion. Sandpit / Spreadsheet. We help clients see creativity as a valuable investment instead of a cost.
"70% of companies that engage with creativity have above-average total returns to shareholders."
— McKinsey & Company
WHAT
We are a practice that uses creative problem solving to nurture commercial growth. We help brands, artistic talent, creative agencies, media companies, entertainment groups, and government institutions identify and unlock ideas that add value to their bottom line.
Our expertise covers: Strategy → Creativity → Growth
WHEN
Engage us when you have a unique problem to solve and you need: experience, objectivity, honesty, and an ally. Engage us when old formulas don't make a difference and you're ready to explore new creative thinking and ideas. We offer valuable solutions on a single project or help guide a program of work or pitch process all the way through to production and distribution (when required). When you're faced with unprecedented business challenges, including macro socio-economic shifts, governmental regulatory change, incorrect sales strategy, organisational restructuring, or you want to achieve more commercial success with less resource, we function as an ally to all parties involved in a collaboration. When everybody on a project wins, we've succeeded.
WHO
We're creative entrepreneurs who have successfully created, built, and sold brands and businesses. Our unique local and international experience helps to identify and unlock valuable creative opportunities within an organisation that can lead to outsized returns.
Founded by Justin Drape - Co-founder of The Monkeys (now Droga5) - Co-founder of Exceptional ALIEN - Former Group Chief Creative Officer of The Monkeys & Accenture Interactive ANZ - 20+ years experience building Fortune 500 brands. Justin's career has spanned advertising, entertainment, design & publishing with roles including Business Founder/Owner, CCO, CEO, Writer, Art Director, Executive Producer, Board Member and Mentor.
The Monkeys won more than 500 creative awards – including Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Clio, Webbys, Australian Film Institute, Logies, multiple Grand Prix, plus 72 Agency of the Year Awards; with work featured in The Guiness Book of Records and the National Library of Australia. The agency was crowned B&T Australian Creative Agency of the Decade. In 2024 Drape was inducted into the AWARD Hall of Fame.
COMMUNITY
We have no borders. Our global community spans a range of practices and talent, including: Grammy Award winners, Academy Award nominees, Michelin Star chefs, Olympic gold medallists, renowned entrepreneurs, and world champions.
BRANDS
Our network of talent have worked with global Fortune 500 brands, SMEs, Startups, NFPs, Government and Arts and Entertainment Groups.
BELIEFS
When creativity and commerce are in sync, they have the ability to move our emotions, change behaviour, shift attitudes, and achieve outsized business results. Seemingly impossible tasks become possible. Businesses can't afford to bore their audience. Boring work requires more investment to be effective. Moving people emotionally makes them more likely to engage with you. The clash of different perspectives—creative, theoretical, commercial—generates magical results. What a client wants is not always what they need. Every project deserves an open-minded approach. Promises and handshakes matter.
This showreel includes some of Drape's work from Exceptional ALIEN, The Monkeys and other art, talent and brand collaborations.