2023 Creative LIAisons Coaches
Tara McKenty
Chief Innovation Officer /Co-Executive Creative Director
BMF
Sydney
At age four, Tara’s kindergarten teacher told her mother that Tara would grow up to be the Prime Minister of New Zealand, or the devil itself. After casting a career in politics aside, and realising red wasn’t her colour, Tara found herself in the halls of Whybin\TBWA Auckland working in advertising. It was here that she and her creative partner gained international attention by floating shares in their creative future, successfully funding themselves to Cannes.
During her time at TBWA, Tara had a complete disregard for discipline and conven- tion, she was named in Campaign Magazines Top 50 emerging talent portfolio, and submitted several entries into the pantheon of ABSOLUT work, one of which was the creation of a limited edition ABSOLUT bottle design.
Then Tara decided to swim across the ditch to Sydney where she joined Saatchi & Saatchi. It was here that Tara created a children’s book for OPSM that tested the eye- sight of children, which was named by the WARC 100 in 2016 as the most effective marketing campaign in the world.
Tara now finds herself at Google where she leads a team whose role is to ignite brand love and trust for the Google brand through creativity. In previous roles at Google Tara has also worked and supported some of Asia Pacific’s largest clients, to use Google’s products and platforms in creative and innovative ways.
Tara's most notable achievement to date is founding Rare with Google, an initiative that provides equitable opportunities for underrepresented creatives to thrive at every stage of their career, and leads a team of 60 people who ensure all three of Rare's offerings are scaled and available globally. Tara continues to disrupt the status quo, and as a consequence has won over two hundred awards (including D&AD pencils, Cannes lions, Grand Prix's, and Best in Shows) during her advertising rebellion.
During her time at TBWA, Tara had a complete disregard for discipline and conven- tion, she was named in Campaign Magazines Top 50 emerging talent portfolio, and submitted several entries into the pantheon of ABSOLUT work, one of which was the creation of a limited edition ABSOLUT bottle design.
Then Tara decided to swim across the ditch to Sydney where she joined Saatchi & Saatchi. It was here that Tara created a children’s book for OPSM that tested the eye- sight of children, which was named by the WARC 100 in 2016 as the most effective marketing campaign in the world.
Tara now finds herself at Google where she leads a team whose role is to ignite brand love and trust for the Google brand through creativity. In previous roles at Google Tara has also worked and supported some of Asia Pacific’s largest clients, to use Google’s products and platforms in creative and innovative ways.
Tara's most notable achievement to date is founding Rare with Google, an initiative that provides equitable opportunities for underrepresented creatives to thrive at every stage of their career, and leads a team of 60 people who ensure all three of Rare's offerings are scaled and available globally. Tara continues to disrupt the status quo, and as a consequence has won over two hundred awards (including D&AD pencils, Cannes lions, Grand Prix's, and Best in Shows) during her advertising rebellion.