Interview: WA's Champions of Change - Tess Palmyre & Leigh Wood AdNews Finalists
- Carma Levene
- Jun 9
- 6 min read
Tess Palmyre & Leigh Wood Shortlisted For AdNews Champions of Change
I sat down with Tess Palmyre of Brandable, WA Marketing Association (WAMA) and Leigh Wood from Nani Creative, WAMA, and the Perth Advertising and Design Club (PADC) to talk about being shortlisted for the AdNews Champions of Change.
They're the two Western Australian representatives and round out the 20 shortlisted change makers, to be whittled down to a Power List of 10.
And there's nothing we love more at The Marketer than supporting WA talent and highlighting the work going on in our local industry.
How it started
Leigh came to know of the Champions of Change when AdNews representatives were in Perth recently hosting their AdNews Live event, which she attended as both the Co-Founder and Design Director at Nani Creative, and in her capacity as Co-President of the PADC.
Leigh's team at Nani consists of designers, artists, and strategists who hold diverse identities with lived experience that spans Aboriginal heritage, LGBTQIA+ communities, gender, and neurodiversity. Together, they represent many of the most sought-after perspectives in the creative industry today, developing campaigns that are both culturally appropriate and capable of delivering compelling mainstream impact.
“By supporting a more inclusive industry, we’re able to deliver creative solutions that are richer, more nuanced, and vibrant, because the work doesn’t just speak to one perspective, but to the collective wisdom that’s found when diverse perspectives meet.”
Leigh Wood.
Tess was informed she'd been nominated by WAMA Chair, Rene LeMerle.
She's the DEI lead at WAMA, where she champions their DEI research and the development of resources to support positive change in the industry.
She founded Brandable to help brands make inclusion a core part of their strategy. As a migrant woman of colour and foster parent to two Noongar girls, her lived experience fuels her drive to centre DEI in marketing and communications.
"I’m driven by the belief that real change happens when diverse voices are not just heard, but valued. My mission is to create a marketing industry where inclusion is at the heart of everything we do, and where collaboration leads to lasting, meaningful transformation.”
Tess Palmyre
Both Leigh and Tess are leading the WA marketing industry; and wider brands, organisations and businesses charge to listen to, consult, include, and empower diverse audiences - an area where we have A Way To Go, as demonstrated by the WAMA and ECU research piece of that name.
“It’s fantastic to see Tess and Leigh named finalists as Champions of Change. Very well-deserved recognition. They’ve been at the forefront of driving real change in our industry. Not just talking about it, but making it happen.
WA’s marketing community should be grateful and proud. A standout example of DEI leadership from WA making waves nationally and internationally.”
Rene LeMerle - WA Marketing Association Chair
Onto the good stuff
Both Tess and Leigh have unique approaches to their work and differing specialties, but there's much common ground, which form some very poignant takeaways for those wanting to explore the benefits of DEI in their own organisations.
Takeaway 1 - Inclusivity can't be an afterthought
When asked about how the practice of advocacy and inclusion can be more effective both had the same answer - engaging with the said communities (or their representatives) at the beginning of a project.
Brands and organisations wishing to engage and appeal to diverse audiences often came to consult an external resource after initial budget scoping, and sometimes when a creative concept or campaign plan had already been scoped, or even completed.
Being engaged at this stage meant that there often wasn't the time, budget, or desire to go back to the core mission, the reason the communications or campaigns were being planned in the first place.
Behavioural change is at the heart of what we do as an industry, and we often need to consult specialists when trying to inform or persuade a particular audience. And we may not realise how our messaging or creative will be perceived or (maybe worse) ignored by audiences we don't have lived experience in.
Engaging a specialist in the planning phase is the best way to ensure your messaging and creative will do its job in reaching these audiences, rather than trying to retrofit your inclusion, making it performative.
Takeaway 2 - With messaging, everyone = no-one
It's easy to think that your campaign idea has a wide appeal and doesn't require additional or nuanced creative or comms. That it appeals to everyone.
I think all smart marketers know that if they're trying to appeal to everyone, they're probably appealing to no-one.
Takeaway 3 - Hire your way out?
We spoke at length about the pros and cons of having more diversity in our teams. While, yes this is definitely a good move, and there's plenty of studies around the benefits of a diverse workforce (I have linked some below).I agree that we could do with more thought into team composition to foster more diverse teams, but this isn’t the whole solution, and also presents a few challenges.
The first is around the perception of the "diversity hire". Can someone truly do their job when they're perceived as being hired to solely make up quotas?
They're being set up to fail if they're only there to represent their lived experience. And while hires from diverse backgrounds might tick off all the role requirements, then be expected to speak for their entire community, which they might not be in a position (or have the desire) to do.
There's the risk that people are being hired for their lived experience, and put into roles they're not necessarily qualified for.
We need greater representation in our teams to create better work, but it's not the whole piece.
Takeaway 4 - Create and hold space
It's one thing to have diversity at your boardroom table, but are those voices being listened to and valued? Having a chair is a start, but listening and accepting diverse points of view is where change happens.
This requires a level of trust - you aren't going to continue to hear the voices you don't listen to.
There was some discussion around whether pockets of the industry were doing a better job at this, and although larger organisations and agencies tended to have better resources, consulting industry bodies like the ACA, or even collaborating with similar-sized entities to share resources are some ways for smaller businesses to invest and engage without the scale.
Putting HR frameworks in place is one way to help create a safe space to listen.
Takeaway 5 - It's not always comfortable
You might not always like what you hear, and sometimes you just need to let it be uncomfortable.
Takeaway 6 - It's not complicated
Well, it can be, but nothing good isn't.
What I mean is; being inclusive really just boils down to including more people.
And while I realise that sounds reductive - if you think about it - the way to include more people, is to include more people.
Lean into your communities and collaborate. Engage specialist consultants - at the beginning of your projects - to help you connect to the communities you're trying to reach, and we can all achieve better DEI outcomes as a result.
Takeaway 7 - You’re going to make mistakes
Uncomplicated doesn’t mean easy. Discomfort can be discouraging. These aren’t reasons to stop.
Being authentic, open and asking questions - and really listening to the answers - goes a long way. Be open to advice, engage specialists, and remember that you’re creating a better future for everyone.
Champions of Change
AdNews will recognise the trailblazers driving positive change in media, marketing and advertising on June 19th in Sydney at the Champions of Change Award Presentation.
We're sending all our local love to Tess and Leigh, and hope they both feel celebrated for the impact they make every day.
I'm privileged to know both of these incredible women and couldn't be more in awe of the work they do, much of it unseen, and in my opinion they're both champions regardless of the results in Sydney this week.
Further reading on the topic
Studies on the Benefits of a Diverse Workforce (DEI)
Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters – McKinsey & Company (2020)
How Diverse Leadership Teams Boost Innovation – Boston Consulting Group (BCG) (2018)
The Diversity and Inclusion Revolution: Eight Powerful Truths – Deloitte (2018)
Why Diverse Teams Are Smarter – Harvard Business Review (2016)
Hacking Diversity with Inclusive Decision-Making – Cloverpop (2017)
Diversity and Belonging in the Workplace – Glassdoor (2020)
Global Gender Gap Report – World Economic Forum (Annual)
Other Resources & Reading
BlakLens (national collective of First Nations photographers, cinematographers and videographers)
Let’s Queer the Air (LGBTIQA+ education)
Diversity Council Australia (inclusive language guide)
Wear It Purple (inclusive language guide)
Brandable ebook (more resources, tips and guides)
WAMA Report: A Way To Go (research conducted in collaboration with ECU)
BOOK: "Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work" by Ruchika Tulshyan
BOOK: "DEI Deconstructed: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Doing the Work and Doing It Right" by Lily Zheng
