Brands For Better

What Brands For Better does

Brands For Better is an Australian purpose-driven marketing agency founded in 2020 by Marilynn Olson and Marc Cowper and headquartered in Sydney. The firm operates as a boutique consultancy serving three client segments: government (e.g., NSW Health), corporate enterprises (e.g., American Express, Tooheys New), and startups or scale-ups (e.g., Campfire Collaborative Spaces, Resparke). Its core offering combines strategic marketing consulting with hands-on execution across digital, social, experiential, and traditional channels, packaged as seven service lines: Strategic Development, Creative, Content Development, Community Building, Process Optimisation, Marketing Execution Across All Channels, and Startup Advice & Support (including a 'CMO for hire' fractional executive offering).

The agency's underlying technology stack is light and project-specific rather than platform-based. It builds bespoke interactive experiences on a per-campaign basis — most notably a custom cycling-themed gamified video game developed for the NSW Health 'Make Healthy Normal' campaign that tested participants on healthy behavioural choices. The firm also produces its own purpose-driven creative projects such as The Indigo Flamingo Book and the Smiles For Seniors Project, which double as portfolio assets supporting new business development.

Brands For Better's revenue model is professional services-only, with project-based or retainer engagements across government, corporate, and startup clients. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated per engagement. Distribution is sales-led direct engagement rather than self-serve or channel-based. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional funding, no parents or subsidiaries, and no M&A activity in the available data. Geographic reach is concentrated in Australia, with select cross-border engagements (Hong Kong and London delivered remotely for Campfire Collaborative Spaces).

Name

Brands For Better

Legal name

Brands For Better

Website

https://brandsforbetter.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Brands For Better is an Australian purpose-driven marketing agency founded in 2020 that delivers strategic consulting, brand experience campaigns, and fractional CMO services to government, corporate, and startup clients across Australia and select international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marketing Consulting Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (54181), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Creative Boutique Agencies (MPAAAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Brand Consulting, Audits & Research (Brand Health, Equity, Competitive) (BPAFAEAJ)

Keywords

• Purpose-driven marketing
• Brand strategy consulting
• Experiential marketing services
• Community engagement campaigns
• Marketing advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Strategic Marketing Consulting: Professional services revenue through strategic consulting engagements with government, corporate, and startup clients. Includes CMO for hire resources, marketing strategy development, and execution across all channels.
2. Brand Experience Programs: Project-based revenue from developing and activating brand experiences including experiential marketing campaigns, pop-up stores, community engagement programs, and roadshow activations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Brands For Better is a purpose-driven marketing consultancy that provides strategic development, creative services, content development, community building, process optimisation, and full-channel marketing execution for government, corporate, and startup clients. The agency also offers fractional CMO (CMO-for-hire) resources and develops bespoke interactive technology for brand experience activations.

Product overview

Brands For Better is a purpose-driven marketing agency offering a portfolio of professional services including Strategic Development, Creative Services, Content Development, Community Building, Process Optimisation, Marketing Execution Across All Channels, and Startup Advice & Support. The company also develops its own positive-impact projects such as The Indigo Flamingo Book and Smiles For Seniors Project. Their service offerings work together as an integrated approach—identifying audience trends and causes, defining the brand's role in positive change, developing creative content and brand experiences, and executing across channels—to help clients achieve both purpose impact and commercial ROI.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Development Strategic consulting services to help brands identify their purpose and define their role in creating positive change.
• Creative Services Creative development services for brand experiences, campaigns, and content that invoke positive emotional connections with audiences.
• Content Development Development of branded content across multiple channels designed to engage audiences and build brand advocates.
• Community Building Services focused on building and engaging communities around purpose-driven brand initiatives.
• Process Optimisation Optimization of marketing processes and workflows for improved efficiency and results.
• Marketing Execution Across All Channels Full-service marketing execution across digital, social, experiential, and traditional channels.
• Startup Advice & Support (CMO for Hire) Advisory and support services for startups, including fractional CMO (CMO-for-hire) resources and growth acceleration support.
• The Indigo Flamingo Book A creative collaboration with illustrators, teachers, and fundraising communities to help children in need and foster a more inclusive world.
• Smiles For Seniors Project An intergenerational community initiative that creates connections between local children and seniors in aged care facilities through personalised art and digital content.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% KPI scorecard achieved for Campfire Collaborative Spaces project
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• My Kind Co.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with social enterprise My Kind Co. for the Inner West Edge Festival to create a week-long program connecting local children with local creatives, art installations and the fine art of play.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• BMF: One of Australia's largest independent creative agencies. Directly comparable as a Sydney-based creative shop competing for enterprise brand experience, retail, and government campaign work.
• Mother: Global creative boutique with an Australian presence; known for founder-led, creatively distinctive campaigns. Comparable on boutique scale, creative-first identity, and enterprise client base.
• Thinkerbell: Australian boutique creative agency with a similar founder-led, purpose-and-creativity-led positioning. Competes for the same enterprise and FMCG brand experience briefs in the Australian market.
• M&C Saatchi: Australian arm of a global creative network with strong brand and campaign credentials. Competes with BFB for enterprise brand purpose, social, and experiential briefs across AUNZ.
• Droga5 Sydney: Accenture Song-owned creative agency operating in Sydney with an award-winning brand creative reputation. Directly comparable on creative-led campaigns for enterprise clients.
• The Works: Australian creative agency (now part of Dentsu) historically focused on bold, creative brand work. Comparable as a Sydney-based creative shop pursuing enterprise brand experience engagements.

Broad incumbents

• Ogilvy Australia: WPP-owned global agency network with deep Australian presence across advertising, PR, and brand experience. Competes for the same enterprise and government briefs but with vastly larger scale and integrated services.
• Accenture Song Australia: Accenture's experience-led creative and technology practice in Australia. Overlaps on enterprise brand experience, campaign execution, and CMO advisory, but bundled into a much wider services portfolio.
• Leo Burnett Australia: Publicis-owned global creative network with Sydney operations. Overlaps on enterprise brand purpose, creative campaigns, and government/community work, but operates as part of a much larger portfolio.
• Deloitte Digital Australia: Consulting-led digital and creative practice within Deloitte Australia. Competes for enterprise brand and customer transformation work where purpose and marketing strategy intersect with broader business consulting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Brands For Better