• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, May 12, 2022

Omnicom’s TBWA operation in New Zealand has just launched a fully remote unit that’s been dubbed From Nowhere with TBWA\NZ.

The unit is designed to provide New Zealand clients with the best possible talent from around the world.

It’s being set up and managed by Ashely Wilding and Daniel Davidson who were recruited from Sydney-based agency Che Proximity. The duo is credited with helping that agency grow from a handful of staffers to a few hundred during their five-year stint there.

At the new shop they’ll be, well, anywhere that suits them at any given time, just like the rest of the team they’re recruiting, who will often work on a project basis. That’s the upside of our new hybrid working world isn’t it?

Especially when your serving clients in a place like New Zealand, apparently. According to Wilding the country’s agency community is “fast, bold and brave. But it’s small.” But with a fully remote team, the geographic boundaries are lifted, he notes. “Work from home, from a campsite, from a bowling alley. Who cares? As long as it works for you and you’re happy to jump on the odd call at weird New Zealand hours, it works for us.”

He likens what he and Davidson are building to a “hit squad” of the best international creatives, designers, planners and production partners who collaborate on projects wherever they feel most creative.

From Nowhere is already hard at work on a number of projects for TBWA\NZ clients.

Shane Bradnick, Chief Creative Officer, TBWA\NZ Group says the effort has been a year in the making. “We love being able to have global talent work and inspire our local teams and clients,” he said.

One of those clients—Ben Wheeler—is a believer. He worked with the remote team on project for mobile network 2degrees (he was just appointed GM at another firm, Lewis Road Creamery). He said The remote team brought “fresh thinking and production approaches. I’d recommend working with this crew anywhere.”

Or nowhere.