‘Many media agencies operate similarly’: Spark Foundry CEO moves past ‘the Ehrenberg-Bass approach’

March 16, 2026 11:19

CEO Matt Turl encourages clients to embrace "tension, friction and points of differentiation”

Spark Foundry is urging clients to stop playing it safe with their media strategies under a new positioning called “intelligent disobedience”.

The Publicis-owned agency has unveiled the new brand tagline designed to help clients stand out in a crowded media landscape by “embracing provocation”, albeit in a responsible manner.

Spark Foundry CEO Matt Turl told Mumbrella that the proposition arose from the agency seeing too many competitors operate in the same predictable ways.

“Many media agencies operate similarly,” he said. “[They are] relying heavily on data and marketing science principles like the Ehrenberg-Bass approach. These principles can deliver results, but the question is: will it truly differentiate a client in the market?

“The economy is robust, but clients are under pressure to grow. Marketing and media investments are under scrutiny for their business returns. Focusing solely on dashboards and optimisation is only half the game.”

As such, he said, while following the rules may be “intelligent,” it doesn’t necessarily produce differentiated outcomes. In contrast, the new tagline deliberately finds “tension, friction and points of differentiation” in media strategy.

A recent example was Spark Foundry’s reworking of the Cancer Council’s classic “Slap, Slop, Slap, Slide” campaign. The agency used influencers and music festivals to reach younger audiences with a re-imagined version of the iconic tagline, in partnership with Publicis Sport & Entertainment and Bolster Group.

“We flipped the narrative,” Turl said. “Instead of traditional channels, we engaged where the audience collects cultural messages. It was bold, culturally relevant, and delivered measurable outcomes.”

Turl has been with Publicis in Australia for almost a decade, initially joining Blue 449 as head of client management before becoming general manager.

Following Blue 449’s integration into Spark Foundry in 2019, he was appointed general manager for the newly merged entity, later rising to chief operating officer and then CEO in March 2023.

Turl arrived at the agency shortly before Publicis Group’s global tech push, which included the creation of Marcel, its AI-backed platform.

Asked about the role of AI in Spark Foundry’s work, Turl said it was a tool, not a replacement for human judgment.

“AI helps us be more efficient and reduces the load of legacy systems, but the thinking that creates real client value remains human. Intelligent disobedience emphasises human judgment,” he said.

“We’ve been working with AI since 2018 through Marcel, as well as Meta, Google, and Copilot tools, but it’s not the defining factor. AI frees up time for us to focus on differentiation and creative problem-solving. Anyone claiming AI has all the answers isn’t being honest.”

Amid recent controversy over principal media, including WPP’s lawsuit in the US, Turl stressed Spark Foundry’s own commitment to transparency.

“Publicis is transparent and client-focused. I can’t comment on other agencies, but speculation doesn’t help,” he said.

“Our priority is to ensure clients understand what’s on the table. Transparency is key, and if you’re not operating that way, you’re failing your clients.”