Droga5's Tara Ford on big work, bold moves, and why she’s not done creating yet

When Accenture Song named Tara Ford as the new chief creative officer of Droga5 London last month, it marked a considered shift in the shop's creative ambitions. Ford’s appointment brings proven creative firepower to one of its most strategically significant markets, as Droga5 London prepares to scale under a broader network transformation.

Ford previously led Droga5 ANZ (formerly The Monkeys) through a period of standout performances with back-to-back Cannes Grand Prix wins for Tuvalu’s “The First Digital Nation” in 2023 and the Sydney Opera House’s “Play It Safe" in 2024. The agency rose to the top of global award rankings and delivered some of its strongest commercial returns since joining Accenture in 2017.

Her move to the UK comes as Droga5 undergoes a global reorganisation under the leadership of Mark Green, Pelle Sjoenell and Emma Montgomery. In London, Ford joins CEO Bill Scott and CSO Will Hodge to steer a significant expansion of the office as it absorbs Accenture Song’s UK creative operations.

Back in Australia, the creative reins now pass to Barbara Humphries and Damon Stapleton, who step up as co-chief creative officers to lead the next phase of growth across Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland, alongside CEO Matt Michael.

Ahead of her first Cannes Lions in the London role, Campaign spoke to Ford about creative ambition, global reinvention, and what it takes to translate success across continents.

Your move to lead Droga5 London marks a significant creative transition—what aspects of the ANZ creative culture are you most excited to bring to the UK, and how do you see them influencing the agency's direction there?

Throughout my career I've worked in quite a few cities and there have been things I have picked up from each place. I've been back in Australia working for over a decade and there's a lot to love. We punch above our weight, as they say, on the world stage. ANZ tends to have smaller budgets and faster timelines. It can make us scrappier and up for a hustle to get things done and make opportunities happen. This often involves thinking outside traditional media and processes for not just new ideas but new ways of making them happen. I'll be bringing that with me.

Droga5 ANZ hit an unprecedented creative stride under your leadership, what do you believe was the key to that success, and how will you replicate or evolve that in a new market like the UK?

The people. The focus and energy. The environment. Assembling a crew of brilliant people with diverse talents and points of view, all focused on the same ambition. So many things contribute. Hiring well and building a team and an environment that is naturally competitive but collaborative and supportive. A place where experimentation is valued and there's more 'yes' than 'no'. You need to inspire and encourage in a way that naturally makes people want to do more themselves. There's no formula for that. Every creative person will need something different to motivate them. Part of the job is working out what that is. And of course, none of it is possible without the clients who are wanting to do interesting, beautiful, innovative work that builds and grows the brand. Agencies are very organic and ever changing. So, the people, environment and the vision will once again be key. Having said that, I don't like to replicate anything I do. I will want to build something new and unique, with perhaps some of the same characteristics. But it's a different part of the world, with some killer talent and marketers and I find that really inspiring.

As Droga5 enters a new global era with a refreshed leadership structure, how do you envision your creative leadership contributing to this transformation, especially across such a diverse and expanding global network?

Strong creative leadership is vital to the success of any network or agency. As I said earlier, things like setting a clear vision and ensuring it's communicated across the business are important. Creating an environment to thrive, recognising the unique skillsets of individuals and ensuring we have a structure that allows each of them to shine. Championing ideas and making sure they have the oxygen to live. I have worked in many different regions throughout the world, with many people with different views. And my background is also different to many chief creative officers out there today. So, as a creative leader with both deep and diverse experience, I am well placed to help push Droga5 into the new era.

As consulting firms continue to expand their creative capabilities and holding companies rethink how creativity fits into broader business models, does this shift excite or unsettle you—and how do you see Droga5 defending or evolving its creative edge in this new landscape?

I love change and expect it. One of the reasons I originally joined The Monkeys (now Droga5) was the relationship it had with Accenture Song and the capabilities it could tap into. I believe creativity can be much more broadly applied to solve business problems beyond comms. Having this much broader creative canvas felt like the future of our industry. A few months after I joined it was announced that Droga5 was joining the network. So, then I knew I was onto something! We are well placed for the future. Things are moving fast with AI and other technologies, so we will need to be ever evolving.

You've helped shape campaigns that have not only won top awards but driven real-world change, what role do you believe purpose-driven creativity will play in your next chapter?

It will play the role it's always played, which is there's a time and a place. Work that drives real-world change in a positive way is hugely gratifying, but such work must be the right solution for the client task or business problem at hand. It's not something to apply for no reason. It has to align with the brand's DNA and be a compelling and real solution.

With Cannes Lions approaching, how do you think the definition of 'award-worthy' creative is shifting, especially as business results and consultancy thinking become more central to creative success?

Award-worthy work comprises of a fresh, original idea, beautifully crafted that is relevant to the brand and turns up in the consumers' lives at the right time in the right place. Diversified media means there are more shapes and ways to connect with people, so ideas may look different and turn up in new places now, but the heart of it should be the same.

What is the one thing you think is reshaping global creativity today?

A couple of factors spring to mind. A shift in media consumption from centralised broadcasting to decentralisation. This has enabled a rise of individual creators with huge reach and diversity of thought. Obviously, this is reflected in not only what but how people are watching—with the small screen of smartphones becoming even more dominant. It's also hard to answer this without mentioning AI. It's the obvious answer to this question. It's reducing the barriers to production and allowing more people to create and inspire with their stories. There's a lot more out there, so people need to decide what resonates and apply their own quality control to it of course. If I were to bring these two things together, I would say these changes are combining to allow a democratisation of creativity. And that's exciting.

Looking across the industry, where do you see the next breakthrough in creativity emerging from new tech, cultural tensions, emerging markets, or something else entirely?

Wouldn't we all love to know the answer to this?! The truth is most likely a combination of all these things. Probably someone brilliant using AI to create something that taps into a trend relevant to their subculture. Individuals have never been so empowered creatively through technology and never been so connected. It means creativity can come from anyone—there are so many new perspectives and storytellers—so the only thing I can predict is that it won't be what's expected.

After leading some of the world's most celebrated work, what still feels creatively unfinished or untapped for you personally, and how do you keep that creative hunger alive?

There's nothing like hearing a brilliant idea for the first time, and then bringing it to life. I'll never get tired of that. Added to that our business is ever-changing and as I said earlier, I never like to simply replicate what I've done in the past. I like to try new things and push out of my comfort zone. I still feel inspired and energised and ambitious for the next thing, whatever that may be.