“Creativity Is the Answer”: Tara Ford on Instinct, Innovation and the Power of Bold Ideas

Tara Ford’s return to London marks more than a geographical shift — it’s a creative homecoming loaded with fresh ambition.

The newly minted chief creative officer (CCO) of Droga5 London takes the reins at a pivotal moment as the agency reclaims its stature within the global creative landscape, now fully embedded in the expansive Accenture Song network. Ford’s arrival brings with it the promise of reinvigoration — of Droga5’s creative output, of the industry’s sense of possibility, and of the belief that bold, brilliant work still matters.

Ford joined Droga5 earlier this summer from The Monkeys, part of Accenture Song in Sydney, where she helped steer the agency to a string of award-winning campaigns and cultural high points - melding craft with strategic clarity, and unlocking the creative power of Accenture Song’s broader capabilities across sustainability, tech, and experience.

Ford is that rare creative leader who blends instinct and intuition with iron discipline — a sensibility shaped by her upbringing in a household split between military precision and artistic flair. That paradox has proved a powerful force throughout her career. From her early days in Australia to her bold leap to London — jobless but determined — she’s consistently forged her own path, developing a reputation for originality, rigour, and a generosity of leadership.

Her creative pedigree is formidable: from the audacious GAYTMs for ANZ Bank to the culturally resonant ‘First Digital Nation’ campaign for Tuvalu, Ford’s work demonstrates a deep understanding of creativity as a force for communication, connection, and change. And now, as she steps into her role at Droga5, she’s determined to build a department that does more than just make great ads — a place where all kinds of creativity are allowed to flourish, solve problems, and shape brands from the inside out.

Creative Salon: Starting in the deep end, the first question is big and existential: what does creativity mean to you as a human being?

Tara Ford: Well, I think it’s quite instinctual for me. When I was small, I used to draw all the time. I didn’t watch television. There wasn’t anything like the tech we have now, so it was just a very natural outpouring. Creativity is so much of what makes the world interesting. I think it’s innovation, it’s new ways of thinking about things and expressing yourself and communicating and connecting with other humans.

So was your family quite creative?

My family background represents two quite opposing forces. My dad was in the army, so military, and that was a big part of my upbringing. Then he worked for the government in the Premier’s Department as the Chief of Protocol.

But my mum was very creative. I had this whole side of the family that was quite bohemian. There were a lot of artists in the family too. It was engineering and military on one side, and fine arts and creativity on the other.

Do you see in yourself that kind of combination—the military discipline and the creative influence?

Very much. It’s quite an interesting combination. We recently did one of those personality tests at my last job in Sydney, and when I was given my results the tester said, “I’ve never seen this before. You’re really high on creativity, but also on what would be seen as the polar opposite to that". Super disciplined. Very organised. That’s actually a killer combo, especially once you’re a CCO. It gives you a different edge. I’ve always been very determined and disciplined. If I set my mind to something, I’ll just do it.

So what led you into the industry? Was there a person or a moment that made you think, “This is what I want to do”?

I did want to be an artist at one point. I thought about it. But then I wondered, “What can I combine with creativity?” And advertising seemed like the perfect mix.

There’s a discipline and psychology to it. You have to be able to articulate an idea in one sentence. Boil down a thought into something clear, inspiring, and communicable. That really interested me. I actually did a business degree first, I’ve got a Marketing Degree and an Arts Degree. I knew I wanted to be a creative but felt like this was a great starting point.

As part of that, there was a communications subject, and I did really love it. I can’t say the same for the statistics side of the course, but I already knew I was interested in being an advertising creative. It was a great foundation to come into the industry with an understanding of what clients are looking for. Understanding the bigger picture. Loving and focusing on the creative part of it, but also knowing that they’ve probably just had a pricing meeting or a sales target review.

You started out at agencies in Australia, but then moved to London. What drove that decision?

I was super inspired by all the work coming out of London. Guinness Horses, the amazing Volvo work, Stella Artois, Levi’s, PlayStation. All the classics. That really attracted me to London.

So, I left without a job, set my sights on the top three agencies, and ended up at TBWA London, one of the brilliant places to be at the time under the leadership of Trevor Beattie.

That’s very bold - leaving without a job to go to.

Yeah. It was a great adventure. It was early on in my career, so I didn’t feel too worried. I did feel like I had to start again coming here, but that was fine. It was worth it. It was only a couple of months before I got there. It was a brilliant training ground at that point in my career.

How did that London experience shape you as a creative person?

It really set the tone for excellence that I’ve pursued since. Being in a creative department where the person in the next office is coming up with the most incredible work was both inspiring and motivating to me. And knowing you had to earn your place in that department. It was another era. We all had to get up in front of each other and show work every month. It was not for the faint-hearted.

It was exciting. It was inspiring. Being in a department where the best work was being done, naturally you pushed yourself because of that.

And did you have any sense of what you wanted to bring to the industry yourself?

Very early on, I could see that my ideas were quite different. A creative director once said to me when reviewing work, “I don’t know how to critique this it’s so different,” which I took as a compliment (luckily).

In retrospect, I think part of that was probably being a young woman in an agency. My point of view was different because my life experience was different. I was Australian, too, which in London at the time wasn’t that common.

A lot of people talk about how being a woman in this industry, particularly in a creative department is really difficult, and of course this is true, but I thought at the time, “Oh, this is actually a superpower.” So, I leaned into that in a lot of cases. It often resulted in coming up with something quite different. Was it always the best or the right thing? Not always. But there were times when I really hit the sweet spot.

I learned that I could bring my experience and not try and make advertising that looks like other great advertising, but to ask, “What do I think is interesting? What’s my experience, my feelings about something? What do I think is missing in the world or hasn’t been spoken about?”

Let’s talk about today. In terms of the industry and the way creativity is used now - what excites you about your job?

I’m always excited when I hear a great idea and then nurturing it to unfold in the right way. I’ll never tire of that, which is basic but crucial. One of the things that attracted me to an agency connected to Accenture Song was thinking about what the industry could be and how creativity can be applied. I love a great film, I love comms, but I really believe creativity can be applied to other business problems, beyond what we’ve traditionally been doing.

There are so many creative people who could solve incredible business problems. I want to build a department where all types of creativity can be applied and flourish, where people can innovate. Creativity really is the answer to so many commercial problems and beyond.

Obviously, you’ve been part of this Accenture Song ecosystem already in Australia. How has being able to pull those levers changed the kind of work you’ve been doing? Is there a particular piece of work that shows the power of this approach?

A good example is the ‘First Digital Nation’ work we did for the Government of Tuvalu. When that work came out, a lot of people asked if there was even a brief. And yes, there was, it came via Accenture. That’s a perfect example. In executing that work, we pulled on global resources like our sustainability studio.

It was crucial to get a piece of work like that right, because it was solving a real, major problem for a nation of people. It had to genuinely solve something. Having a sustainability studio we could consult, to check if we were doing the right thing and be guided along the way was invaluable. That wouldn’t have been available in a traditional agency.

We also had access to our metaverse experts, which was necessary. I don’t think we could have done that properly, or at all, in another agency. It wasn’t easy, because it was breaking new ground, but it shows what’s possible.

And it’s also about taking clients on that journey too, right? Because it requires a change of mindset from them as well— to marry all the potential that exists within this group to a client’s problem, they need to be on that journey.

Yes. Another good example is NRMA Insurance in Australia. We are in the process of transforming them from - an insurance company that helps, into a help company that also happens to do insurance.

So, we are elevating them beyond category to live and breathe their purpose of helping all Australians. We have launched with comms work through Droga5 but we are also looking at everything from brand design to experience design of their app and website and everything in between - the whole customer journey including simplifying contracts via our broader Song capabilities.

And as a creative person, do you relish being able to influence all of that?

Totally. It’s about making what you say about the brand real, so people feel it when they experience the brand. Whether that’s in a store, using an app, whatever it is. Does the feeling carry all the way through? To make it all seamless and communicate the same thing, that’s goal.

Tell us some of the your work you are proudest of.

Sure. There’s a lot I’m proud of for different reasons. Sometimes just moving the needle on creativity for a brand can be very gratifying.

If I had to pick out a couple of pieces, the film we did for the Sydney Opera House for its 50th Birthday celebration is definitely something I’m proud of. It was a great collaboration with the supremely talented Tim Minchin and Kim Gehrig. It perfectly stood for the audacious Opera House, but also creativity in general and getting out there and doing your thing. We wanted to remind people what a creatively defiant building the opera house is and remind people that amazing things happen when we are open and brave. I still find it inspiring to watch, even though I have watched and listened to some version of it hundreds of times.

I’m also proud of the many years of work we did for ANZ Bank (one of Australia’s ‘big four banks’) when they were Principal Partner for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. It all started with turning their ATMs (cash dispensers) into GAYTMs for Mardi Gras. We then transformed an entire branch renaming the Bank to GAYNZ, through to producing a film supporting people from the community to ‘Hold tight’ in the lead up to legalising same sex marriage in Australia.

When you think about yourself being creative - are there set conditions or headspaces you need to be in to access that creative part of yourself?

I think it normally works best when I’m not trying to be creative. You know what I mean? I love nature, hiking, being out doing something else. Or waking up first thing in the morning when ideas just pop into your head. It’s like squinting at something. Not fully looking at it, just letting it come into focus in a softer way.

It’s about tapping into things intuitively. I’ve always run on that quite well.

Do you find it easy to find those moments of clarity? There’s so much data and noise now - way more than when you started. Is it easy to find peace and just listen to your gut?

I think it is harder now. You have to be conscious of not taking everything in. Not listening to every voice or opinion or piece of information. For me, I use my instinct (and experience) let myself be pulled towards one or two things. That’s usually the focus.

How would you describe the kind of creative you are?

I’ve been asked that before. People often say, “I’m a words-based creative,” or “I’m visuals.” I don’t think I’m strictly one or the other. I’m a writer by trade, but I’m visual too. My work doesn’t follow one style or pattern. Professionally I would probably refer to myself now as being a creative leader as my work is much more to guide and support other talented people.

What do you see as the biggest challenges of creative leadership today? Being a creative leader in 2025 is very different from when you started out.

I think it’s still about gathering the right combination of people, inspiring them and creating an environment where they can flourish. There’s a lot of noise around AI, tools, media platforms, and how diversified everything is, but it’s still all about people. If you’re leading people, they have to want to follow. Why would someone want to come work with me? How do I get the best out of everyone? Creative departments are made up of so many different kinds of people, there’s no one rule. So the challenge is bringing out brilliance in people and letting them do what they do.

I love hiring creatives who are completely different to me. Diversity of thought, ideas and experience is key. Younger creatives will think of things I never could. It’s about giving them space and encouragement to develop and be heard.

Your point about the individuality of creative people is so important. Understanding how each person ticks - that’s a real challenge.

Yes, it’s still one of the most important things. Remembering that you’re working with brilliantly, interesting human beings. You can really feel it when the creative department likes each other. When they spend time together. I think creating an environment where people feel like they can bring dumb stuff to the table is really important because often the most brilliant things come from that place of, “I’m not sure I should say this, but...” There needs to be no judgment. No “right” or “wrong” ideas. Just space to share freely. So yes, creative departments spending time together really matters.

In Sydney, I did a really simple thing - we got together for half an hour every Thursday. At first it was awkward. We’d go around and talk about the work. Then someone started a caption contest. Someone else found these little glass ornaments on the side of the road one rubbish collection day and decided to give them out as awards each week.

They started doing their own fun, silly stuff. It took on a life of its own. Those things are really meaningful. And it happened organically.

Certain creative agencies are great at setting the bar and making us collectively better - we need that from Droga5. Do you need to step up to it?

Yeah, that’s the idea, but not in a retrospective, nostalgic way. The world has moved on and we need to be something different, something special for now.

On that note, what do you think the industry should be doing to raise creative standards?

Well, you need great clients who see the value in it too. These things are often about momentum. That one brilliant piece of work comes out and people go, “Oh, I want one of those.” Creatives say it, agencies say it, and clients say it too. If we can inspire marketers, that’s a great starting point.

Yes - everyone in an agency has a responsibility to champion creativity, but it applies to clients too.

Absolutely. You can see the clients that want it, that buy it, that stand behind it. And it’s so proven that great creative work drives sales and growth. It works.

We have a Creative Salon series called Most Creative Marketer - more and more clients come along asking, “Can I be a Most Creative Marketer?” And we think, "Can you?'

Exactly! But I love that it becomes an aspiration. At an individual level, not all clients think like this, but some do want to build a career reputation. Some want to make sure that when people Google their name, there’s good stuff there, accolades and achievements. I love the idea of taking them on that journey.

Final question: imagine advertising is banned next year. Globally. What would you do with the rest of your life?

There are other things I love, but I think I’d try first to find a way creativity could be applied that gets around the ban. I’d think, “Okay, where are the boundaries, and how can we get around them? How can we still apply creative thinking?”

That’s a good answer. Is there anything we haven’t discussed that you’d really like the opportunity to tell the world?

I think you’ve covered most of the things. I’m just really excited to come back to London and do something a bit different here. Obviously, this is all just talk until the work gets done and is out there and I’m very conscious of that. You can’t just show up and say, “I’m going to do this.” You have to do it. I have a brilliant team of likeminded people already with me at Droga5.

There’s so much great talent here in London out there in the market. Not that there isn’t in Australia, but this is a bigger market. It feels more international. I’m really excited about that too.