102. Creativity That Pays Its Way: How to Link Ideas to Commercial Outcomes w. The Hallway's Jules Hall
Tue Jan 27 2026
When the pressure for short-term results keeps getting louder, how and why should you still emphasise creativity?
In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, James Lawrence sits down with Jules Hall, CEO and Founder of The Hallway, to unpack how creativity, data and commercial thinking need to work together if brands want sustainable growth. From navigating short-termism and AI hype to building credibility with CFOs and boards, Jules shares a grounded, practical view on what effective marketing leadership looks like today, and what it takes to earn the licence to do truly great creative work.
Watch Cardboard Cake - The Hallway’s Cannes Lion-winning ad
B Corp - Fat Cats
Key Takeaways:Why creativity isn’t at odds with commercial rigour, and why “trust me” no longer cuts itHow the best marketers link brand investment to real business outcomesWhat AI is actually useful for inside agencies (and where humans still win)Why short-term pressure is holding marketing back and how leaders can balance bothHow to “market marketing” internally and earn trust across the businessWhat the Webjet rebrand reveals about modern brand growth and measurementWhy relevance to culture still matters, even in a fragmented media landscape
Guest:Jules Hall is the CEO and Founder of The Hallway, one of Australia’s most awarded independent creative agencies. Since founding the agency in 2007, Jules has led work for brands including Google, Suncorp Bank, BINGE and Webjet, and helped The Hallway earn honours such as B&T Independent Agency of the Year and Campaign Asia Independent Agency of the Year. In 2024, Jules and his team won a Cannes Lion for design - a standout achievement for an Australian independent agency.
You can follow Jules on LinkedIn.
Find Us Online:James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ Smarter Marketer Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/smarter-marketer-podcast Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/
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When the pressure for short-term results keeps getting louder, how and why should you still emphasise creativity? In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, James Lawrence sits down with Jules Hall, CEO and Founder of The Hallway, to unpack how creativity, data and commercial thinking need to work together if brands want sustainable growth. From navigating short-termism and AI hype to building credibility with CFOs and boards, Jules shares a grounded, practical view on what effective marketing leadership looks like today, and what it takes to earn the licence to do truly great creative work. Watch Cardboard Cake - The Hallway’s Cannes Lion-winning ad B Corp - Fat Cats Key Takeaways:Why creativity isn’t at odds with commercial rigour, and why “trust me” no longer cuts itHow the best marketers link brand investment to real business outcomesWhat AI is actually useful for inside agencies (and where humans still win)Why short-term pressure is holding marketing back and how leaders can balance bothHow to “market marketing” internally and earn trust across the businessWhat the Webjet rebrand reveals about modern brand growth and measurementWhy relevance to culture still matters, even in a fragmented media landscape Guest:Jules Hall is the CEO and Founder of The Hallway, one of Australia’s most awarded independent creative agencies. Since founding the agency in 2007, Jules has led work for brands including Google, Suncorp Bank, BINGE and Webjet, and helped The Hallway earn honours such as B&T Independent Agency of the Year and Campaign Asia Independent Agency of the Year. In 2024, Jules and his team won a Cannes Lion for design - a standout achievement for an Australian independent agency. You can follow Jules on LinkedIn. Find Us Online:James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ Smarter Marketer Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/smarter-marketer-podcast Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/ Buy Smarter Marketer:span class="ql-ui"...