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Bastion (agency)

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Bastion
IndustryAdvertising, Marketing
Founded2009
FounderFergus Watts
Headquarters
Cremorne, Victoria Waterloo, New South Wales
,
Australia
Number of locations
Worldwide
Key people
Fergus Watts, Chairman
Jack Watts, Australia CEO
Dax Cornelius, US CEO
ServicesMarketing and advisory services
Websitebastionagency.com

Bastion is a global marketing and advisory company headquartered in the Melbourne, Australia suburb of Cremorne, Victoria. It is reportedly the largest independent marketing and communications group in Australia and New Zealand, and was founded in 2009 by former professional Australian rules footballer Fergus Watts.[1][2][3] Watts serves as the company's executive chairman.[4]

History

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Bastion was founded in 2009 as Bastion Group by 23 year old Fergus Watts, who briefly played for the Adelaide Football Club and the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).[5] After his football career ended due to an injury, he started working in an advertising agency, and then decided to form his own company.[5]

In 2010, the company acquired PR Agency Undertow Media.[6]

In October 2015, the company changed its name to Bastion Collective.[7]

In January 2016, the company acquired Melbourne and Sydney-based research agency Latitude Insights, renaming it Bastion Latitude.[8]

In March 2017, the company received media coverage for its policy of unlimited leave for its staff.[2] In October, the company hired former US Air Force fighter pilot Dax Cornelius to launch its expansion in the United States.[3] It opened an office in Irvine, California, and in 2018 formed its U.S. footprint with the acquisitions of digital marketing firm Rare Branding and web-app development firm Digital Brand Group (DBG), followed by LFPR, a social media and public relations company. Rare Branding and DBG were merged to form Bastion Rare, and LFPR was rebranded as Bastion Elevate.[3]

In May 2018, the company launched Bastion China, an advisory firm for companies doing business with China, and Bastion Engage, a community and government engagement agency.[9] In July, the company launched creative agency Bastion State.[10] In October, the company announced it was buying a stake in Sydney, Australia-based agency Banjo.[11] In November, the company acquired social research company Stable Research, and Melbourne-based production house Bengar Films.[12][13] Bengar Films was merged with Bastion's production business Bastion Stadium to form Bastion Films[13] which rebranded into Bastion Make in September 2022 [14]

In November 2019, Bastion acquired a Highland Park, California-based consumer insights and strategy agency db5.[15] In 2020, Peter Harris was appointed as the CEO of Bastion Insights, coming from his CEO position at Potentiate.[16]

In October 2020, the company renamed its Bastion China operations as Bastion Asia.[17]

In October 2021, the company changed its name to Bastion.[18]

In November 2021, Bastion acquired NZ Agency Shine, renaming it to Bastion Shine [19] Later, in August 2022 Bastion Shine launched four new specialty business units to broaden their service offering - Bastion Creative, Bastion Digital, Bastion Amplify and Bastion Transform.[20] They then expanded into Wellington in November 2022 [21]

In December 2022, Bastion Reputation, who previously solely operated out of Melbourne, expanded into Sydney [22] Later, in November 2023, they opened a Canberra office [23]

Continuing this growth pattern, Bastion has also expanded into Queensland with the acquisition of top public relations firm, Promedia, in November 2022 [24] to be a part of their communications arm - Bastion Amplify. Additionally, Bastion Experience opened a new office in southeast Queensland.[25]

Operations

[edit]

Founder Fergus Watts serves as Bastion's non-executive chairman, his brother Jack serves as Global CEO, and Dax Cornelius is the United States CEO.[11] Former AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou and sports broadcaster Hamish McLachlan sit on the company's board.[5]

The company's global headquarters is in the Melbourne, Australia suburb of Richmond Cremorne, Victoria,[26] and the company lists additional offices in Sydney, Gold Coast, Canberra, Brisbane, Auckland, Wellington, Los Angeles, Orange County, CA, and New York City.[27]

The company operates several sub-divisions in Australia:

  • Bastion Amplify, formerly Bastion Effect, specialises in media relations, influencer marketing and social media [28]
  • Bastion Creative, formerly Bastion Banjo, specializes in supporting brand strategy for clients.[29][30]
  • Bastion Digital focuses on helping clients with brand experience, customer experience (CX), and technology transformation.[31]
  • Bastion Experience, formerly Bastion EBA, specialises in sponsorship, events and experiential marketing[32][33]
  • Bastion Insights, formerly Bastion db5, is a market research company[34][35]
  • Bastion Make, formerly Bastion Films, is Bastion’s in-house video production studio[36]
  • Bastion Reputation manages strategic corporate affairs for clients[37]
  • Bastion Transform is a digital advisory, strategy and organisation renewal consultancy.[38]

As part of Bastion's 2021 acquisition of New Zealand's Shine, the company operates four sub-divisions in New Zealand, with similar focus as their Australian counterparts: Bastion Amplify, Bastion Creative, Bastion Digital, and Bastion Transform.[39]

In the United States, the company operates two businesses as part of Bastion USA:

  • Bastion Insights, formerly Bastion db5, a consumer insights and strategy agency.[15]
  • Bastion Amplify, formerly Bastion Effect, a social media and public relations company.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Bastion creates the big independent as it acquires NZ agency Shine - AdNews". www.adnews.com.au.
  2. ^ a b "Why marketing firm Bastion Collective is introducing unlimited leave for its staff". smartcompany.com.au. 2017-03-13. Retrieved 2019-05-02.
  3. ^ a b c d "Aussie Collective Bastion Sets Up in Irvine". ocbj.com. 2019-01-28. Retrieved 2019-05-02.
  4. ^ "The benefit of doubt: Fergus Watts". theceomagazine.com. 2016-12-22. Retrieved 2019-05-02.
  5. ^ a b c "Watts empire is no bastion of old-school Melbourne". smh.com.au. 2017-02-18. Retrieved 2019-05-02.
  6. ^ "Life after AFL: Fergus Watt's Bastion towers high". afr.com.au. 2014-06-30. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  7. ^ "Bastion Collective expands business to the UK; reveals new market-first agency model and name". campaignbrief.com. 2015-11-27. Retrieved 2019-05-02.
  8. ^ "Latitude Insights acquired by Bastion Collective". research-live.com. 2016-01-20. Retrieved 2019-05-03.
  9. ^ "Bastion Collective opens two new agencies Bastion Engage and Bastion China". mumbrella.com.au. 2018-05-30. Retrieved 2019-05-03.
  10. ^ "Bastion Collective Launches Its Own Creative Agency". bandt.com.au. 2018-07-03. Retrieved 2019-05-03.
  11. ^ a b ""Game-Changer": Bastion Collective Acquires Creative Agency Banjo". bandt.com.au. 2018-11-29. Retrieved 2019-05-03.
  12. ^ "Bastion Collective acquires social research company Stable Research". mumbrella.com.au. 2018-11-23. Retrieved 2019-05-03.
  13. ^ a b "Bastion Collective Acquires Melbourne-Based Production Agency Bengar Films". bandt.com.au. 2018-11-14. Retrieved 2019-05-03.
  14. ^ Mediaweek (2022-09-12). "Bastion Films rebrands to Bastion Make and welcomes new team members". Mediaweek. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  15. ^ a b "Bastion Buys Agency db5". Los Angeles Business Journal. 2019-11-29. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  16. ^ Macdonald, Anna (2021-07-05). "Bastion Insights appoints CEO for new Sydney office". Mumbrella. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  17. ^ "Bastion China expands to become Bastion Asia helping brands unlock opportunities across Asia". Campaign Brief Asia. 2020-10-28. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  18. ^ "Bastion Collective rebrands to Bastion, launches new brand positioning". mumbrella.com.au. 2021-10-12.
  19. ^ "Bastion creates the big independent as it acquires NZ agency Shine - AdNews". www.adnews.com.au. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  20. ^ Welch, Kalila (2022-08-30). "Bastion Shine launches four new business units". Mumbrella. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  21. ^ Says, Gummon Richi (2022-11-14). "Bastion Shine to launch Wellington operations, headed up by managing director Jodi Willocks". Campaign Brief NZ. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  22. ^ Mediaweek (2022-12-06). "Bastion Reputation appoints Tess Salmon as principal consultant in its Sydney office". Mediaweek. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  23. ^ Leong, Matthew (2023-11-13). "Bastion Reputation grows Canberra presence with strategic moves". Mumbrella. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  24. ^ Mediaweek (2022-11-14). "Bastion Amplify acquires Queensland public relations firm Promedia". Mediaweek. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  25. ^ Mediaweek (2023-02-19). "Bastion Experience launches into Queensland with Maroons CEO Rohan Sawyer at the helm". Mediaweek. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  26. ^ https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.bastion_reputation_management_(no2)_pty_ltd.525b9b903665ccaae53f53c804a3c8c3.html
  27. ^ "Contact".
  28. ^ "Bastion Collective rebrands and sets its sights on being 'largest independent that ever existed' - AdNews". www.adnews.com.au. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  29. ^ "Bastion Collective rebrands and sets its sights on being 'largest independent that ever existed' - AdNews". www.adnews.com.au. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  30. ^ "Bastion Creative Appoints Susan Bird Managing Partner to Lead Melbourne Operations | LBBOnline". lbbonline.com. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  31. ^ Song, Darcy (2023-02-08). "Bastion Digital hires Deloitte Digital's Tim Den Braber to lead local offering". Mumbrella. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  32. ^ "Bastion Collective rebrands and sets its sights on being 'largest independent that ever existed' - AdNews". www.adnews.com.au. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  33. ^ Says, Cornhub (2022-10-28). "Bastion Experience expands Melbourne team with three senior appointments". Campaign Brief. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  34. ^ "Bastion Collective rebrands and sets its sights on being 'largest independent that ever existed' - AdNews". www.adnews.com.au. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  35. ^ "Bastion Insights creates panel for diverse communities | News". Research Live. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  36. ^ Mediaweek (2022-09-12). "Bastion Films rebrands to Bastion Make and welcomes new team members". Mediaweek. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  37. ^ "Bastion Reputation expands to Canberra with acquisition of Frank Communications & Advisory - AdNews". www.adnews.com.au. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  38. ^ Mediaweek (2021-12-13). "Former ABC director of news Gaven Morris to take over as Bastion Transform CEO". Mediaweek. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  39. ^ Welch, Kalila (2022-08-30). "Bastion Shine launches four new business units". Mumbrella. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
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