Written by Alyce Evans
In 2017, Daniel Copsey (Dan), founded an innovative digital marketing agency, First Move Digital. Beginning in Australia, the agency quickly expanded to Auckland and New York.
Following this success, First Move Digital looked to expand further. Therefore, it recently merged with full-service advertising agency, Dutch Media (led by former Richmond AFL player, Ben Hollands).
This merger led to the creation of ‘OtherBirds‘.
If you haven’t heard of it yet, you soon will, as its positioned itself as a global, one-stop shop for marketing, advertising and all related services.
Studio Legal had the pleasure of working with First Move Digital on this recent merger and the formation of OtherBirds. Inspired by Dan and his team, he was a natural choice for our next Client Love interview.
In our interview with Dan, we discuss his inspiration, his top tips for people aspiring to work in the marketing or advertising industry, and where he sees these industries heading in the next few years.
What inspires you?
Watching the OtherBirds team grow and work together is always exciting. Whether it’s a recent graduate learning from one of our senior employees, or vice versa, it’s humbling to know everyone has something to learn from one another. This is especially true in marketing and advertising where trends and technology dominate the way we work.
How did First Move Digital and Dutch Media first meet and what led to the creation of ‘OtherBirds’?
We began as a client/contractor relationship where Dutch contacted the JRJD Group to fill some gaps in their offering. From there, we recognised the truly complementary nature of our businesses and set about the details of a merge.
Dutch’s traditional advertising services combined with our digital marketing expertise set us up for one hell of a full-suite marketing agency.
The landscape of marketing and advertising seems to be changing (and expanding) rapidly. From traditional media…to Instagram…to TikTok… Where do you see it heading in the next few years?
The days of funny filters will seem simple and primitive compared to the next few years of artificial intelligence in marketing and advertising.
We expect AI to support our endeavours with data analysis, customer service, and even content creation! This might be scary to some people but a future where AI totally replaces humans is still far-fetched. Rather, AI technology will only complement and enhance OtherBirds’ ability to deliver for its clients.
What has been your most memorable professional experience so far?
We recently moved into a new office in Port Melbourne which has allowed us to double our team in a short space of time. To stand back and witness the growth we’ve achieved so quickly – 5 years since First Move Digital was born – is just amazing. We’re so proud.
This has given me time and space to chase other more charitable goals such as sitting on the Advisory board of Police Veterans Victoria (PVV) and sponsoring REACH Siem Reap. We also started The Health Collab to provide free healthcare to underprivileged Pakistanis.
As you can tell, it’s hard to choose just one memorable moment.
What are your top tips for someone wanting to work in the marketing industry?
Don’t take no for an answer.
If we want something in this industry, we find a way to achieve it. No obstacle is too high, no skill set is too challenging, no client is too obscure.
Even more important, OtherBirds’ success can be put down to one thing: we hire for attitude and train for skill. Company culture is far more important than a bunch of flashy resumes. If someone doesn’t fit into the culture you’re trying to build, keep looking.
Finally, what’s next? What can we expect to see from OtherBirds moving forwards?
We recently appointed Ben Kings our chief marketing officer and Michael O’Donnell as our chief revenue officer and expect this talent to greatly bolster our ranks. OtherBirds has set aggressive growth targets for the next 2-3 years and we plan to expand in New Zealand and the United States over this time.
With the combined experience and ambition of the original First Move Digital and Dutch Media teams, OtherBirds has no excuse but to become one of Australia’s top five marketing agencies.
Written by Alyce Evans
Further Information
Interested in the world of OtherBirds? Explore their website here.
Want to get to know some of our other talented and inspiring clients? Check out our other Client Love interviews here.
If you’re an artist, photographer, designer or creative and are looking for legal assistance relating to your business please contact us through our online form or via email at hello@studiolegal.com.au.
Photo courtesy of OtherBirds, shared with their kind permission.