Share
Share
Pace began as the in-house advertising department of Heaths Motors, a Ford dealership, and was established in 1964.
Since those foundational years, the Geelong-based agency has grown, developed, and evolved into the modern and diverse company it is today. It is one of the longest-serving agencies in the country that is also family owned and operated.
Account directorEd Jonesspoke toMediaweekabout Paces long-standing partnerships with clients, being part of the family business and the agencys future in sustainability.
While his family ran the agency, Jones shared that his journey to his role wasnt direct. He shared that he initially studied medicine before pursuing aviation and then doing private consultations and marketing strategies in the field.
Then I ended up finding myself enjoying everything here at the agency. Its a very diverse place, and my grandfather started it up.
It was never my plan to go into marketing, advertising, events, or anything like that. But funnily enough, I just stumbled across happiness, which was very unpredicted, he said.
Unlike most, Jones dipped his toe into the media industry growing up.I used to get dragged in here during school holidays because of the family tie-ins. I was brought into the art department or whatever I could be useful in between school holidays, so call it child labour, he joked.Jones shared that he officially began working with Pace 13 years ago temporarily while studying medicine. He said: Before long, I had found myself intertwined with a number of our key accounts, and it was just fun. So, I stuck around.
Pace is led by Jones uncleNicholas Heathwho has been at the agencys helm for over two decades. He noted that during the 1990s, Heath focused on sustainability and long-term planning for the agency.
He (Heath) was trying to get the agency to a point where you didnt have to think where next weeks wages were coming. With retail, automotive and other clients at that time, work was seasonal, Jones explained.
You had four extremely painful peak workloads a year and often some lulls in between, So cash flow was not part of the operation, he added.
Jones said that his uncle examined retainer base models and long-term contracts. He also noted that Heath landed key accounts in sectors such as healthcare, government, and tourism, which gave the agency plenty of continued momentum.
Jones continued: The agency will be 60 years old in 2024 and has just been going through the most excruciatingly painful but most rapid period of growth in the agencys history. Its pretty gun-ho at the moment.
Jones shared that he is often his uncles right-hand man to their team of 24, along with two recent full-time additions and eight regular subcontractors.
Pace has four facets as an agency marketing, advertising and media, events and digital that work collaboratively.
Its probably the most diverse and comprehensive range of services all under one roof. Its done and dusted in there, Jones said.
Jones noted many of their clients go to them with complex problems that require a consolidated team to fix the issue and deliver while working as an integrated team with their organisation.
That broad skill set is super useful for our strengths. It is pretty rare, he said.
Jones noted that over the years, they adopted strategic recruitment to hire people and build a solid team of hardworking and passionate people who bring intelligence, integrity and capability to the team.
Were able to solve very complex things and quite nimbly have small or large organisations. Were finding that many small and large organisations with complex problems need people like us. Its busy, which is a good thing.
Jones shared the agency still has some of its foundation clients to this day, in addition to maintaining long-standing client partnerships, noting their average client tenure is over ten years.
Of course, we have projects and things that come and go at a much shorter timeline than that, but our client relationships last long, he said.
Jones noted the agencys previous work with the likes of Shell, Alcoa, Viva Energy, and Haymes paint, as well as healthcare clients and ASX-listed companies.
Some clients may have reshaped or changed along the way because were talking decades. But we have many clients that have been around a long time, to the point where they have more changeover than we do, and we end up being the basket of knowledge, he said.
Jones continued: There have been some accounts where we have held the baton as theyve gone through change and disruption. So, weve been the one consistent part along the way, which is rare.
When youve got clients you work with that long, you get to know them very personally and professionally. It makes for a good, strong working relationship. You do better work because you care, he added.
Jones remained tight-lipped on Paces recent wins but noted that over the decades, the agency has worked with more than a thousand projects, many of which are a part of the agencys history.
Jones shared that they often re-winning old clients and projects theyve previously worked with. He explained that sometimes such relationships are forced to change.
Jones said: You find that you recross paths, and so thats that to us is a win when you end up working with some of the more sexy, reputable brands. They give us a bit of bragging rights.
Jones added that this is often an opportunity for Pace to reprove ourselves or reimagine things for the brand. He noted: Because its not a brand-new client from scratch, often its rediscovering an existing relationship thats got some sort of history to the place.
Pace did well during the pandemic, according to Jones. But he noted that it was overwhelmingly well, that it almost got hard to keep up.
Were about getting the job done, right to a high standard, collecting the odd award along the way, but its not why we do it.
You adapt. You are whatever is required on the day. When clients have a downturn, or theres some economic decline, he said, referring to COVID and the 2008 GFC.
At the end of the day, we are a value-for-money based agency, and were always a fair price tag and hand on heart, were going to do what we said were going to do.
Jones added: So being reliable and predictable to a degree, but also providing high-quality output and the agencys diversity. We can go wherever the flavour is and adapt as we need as opposed to just being a digital or niche agency.
In an economic downturn, we thrive because we know how to cut money and create opportunity, Jones added.
Sustainability is an area the agency has its eyes set on expanding in as it looks ahead. Jones said: Its not just flavour of the month, but the whole sustainability sector, particularly as everyone hits for net zero. Theres a lot of stuff were doing in that kind of space.
We also do a lot of economic development work and in tourism. Weve taken upon ourselves to provide a bit of leadership in that space, Jones added, highlighting a recent state government event led by Pace on zero-emission vehicles.
Jones noted that the event showcased plenty of technological innovation their existing clients are interested in as they adapt and reshape their footprints.
Jones also noted that the agency has been keeping busy with the demand for content as businesses catch up post-pandemic. He said: We cannot produce enough. At the moment, we think were on top of it and getting asked to do more.
The flavour is shifting from clicks and basic metrics against engagement to the quality of attention were generating and what that means, he said.
Pace re-joined as a member of the IMAA earlier this year at the suggestion of the agencys head of growth,Simon Larcey.
As a member, Jones noted that the agency has enjoyed a range of benefits with the industry body, including industry awareness, staff training and industry representation.
Jones added: Having a network and shoulders to tap on for various resources or requirements or knowledge is always good.
Top image: Ed Jones
Read the rest here:
Ed Jones on Pace's evolution and being part of the family business - Mediaweek
- History of Evolution | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - December 9th, 2016 [December 9th, 2016]
- Evolution - Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokmon encyclopedia - December 12th, 2016 [December 12th, 2016]
- What is Evolution - explanation and definitions - December 21st, 2016 [December 21st, 2016]
- Evolution (2001 film) - Wikipedia - January 28th, 2017 [January 28th, 2017]
- EvolutionM.net - Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution | Reviews, News ... - February 1st, 2017 [February 1st, 2017]
- YMCA evolution continues at lake - Gaston Gazette - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Ivanka Trump's Beauty Evolution, From 1998 to Today Watch - Us Weekly - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Lumpy, hairy, toe-like fossil could reveal the evolution of molluscs - The Guardian - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- How Evolution Alters Biological Invasions - ScienceBlog.com (blog) - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Cultural evolution and the mutilation of women - The Economist - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Late-night hosts on the evolution of Trump: 'Dickish to dictatorish' - The Guardian - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Gold's Gym Regina rebrands to become Evolution Fitness - Regina Leader-Post - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Incremental Versus Radical Innovation: A Response to Josh Swamidass on Evolution and Cancer - Discovery Institute - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Blockchain: Investment (R)Evolution For Developing Markets - Forbes - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- See the Evolution of the Famed Porsche 911 in 7 Photos - WIRED - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Exhibition charts 500 years of evolution of robots - Phys.Org - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- How evolution turned ordinary plants into ravenous meat-eaters - Wired.co.uk - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Are Evolution Fresh Drinks 'Poison'? - snopes.com - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Non-Chromosomal DNA Drives Tumor Evolution - The Scientist - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- Chimpanzee feet allow scientists a new grasp on human foot evolution - Phys.Org - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- 'Goldilocks' genes that tell the tale of human evolution hold clues to variety of diseases - Science Daily - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- Pac-Man is Coming to 'The Sandbox Evolution' Next Week - Touch Arcade - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Chimpanzee feet allow scientists a new grasp on human foot ... - Science Daily - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Bacteria sleep, then rapidly evolve, to survive antibiotic treatments - Phys.Org - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Orangutan squeaks reveal language evolution, says study - BBC ... - BBC News - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Evolution gives rhyme its reason - Aurora News Register - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Deeper origin of gill evolution suggests 'active lifestyle' link in early vertebrates - Science Daily - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- From Tara Palmer-Tomkinson to Cara Delevingne: the evolution of the It girl - The Guardian - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Banned TED Talk: Rupert Sheldrake The Science Delusion - Collective Evolution - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- VOTD: Watch the Evolution of Keanu Reeves' Acting Career - /FILM - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Pokmon Go Eevee evolution: How to evolve Eevee into Vaporeon, Jolteon and Flareon with new names - Eurogamer.net - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Horse evolution bucks evolutionary theory - Science News - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Samsung's Chromebook Pro highlights the category's continued evolution - TechCrunch - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Scientists solve fish evolution mystery - Phys.Org - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Wildfire evolution forces Forest Service into new thinking - The Daily Progress - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- How the horse can help us answer one of evolution's biggest questions - Raw Story - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- A primer on Darwin Day: Some religious groups embrace 'Theistic evolution' - LancasterOnline - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- Apple: Evolution of in-car audio tech moving at 'speed of sound ... - Times of India - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- Mariska Hargitay's Evolution from '80s Glam to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - TVOvermind - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Evolution of baseball from power to speed has left SBs behind ... - Chicago Sun-Times - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- More order with less judgment: An optimal theory of the evolution of cooperation - Science Daily - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- J. Albert C. Uy speaks on evolution, biodiversity in bellied flycatcher population - The College Reporter - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- See the Evolution of Movie Magic With Every Oscar Winner for Visual Effects in History - Gizmodo - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Numerology: Here's What Your Name Says About You - Collective Evolution - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- The Evolution of Valentine's Day - Inside Science News Service - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Why evolution may be tech billionaires' biggest enemy - The Week Magazine - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Community Viewpoint: Evolution, like gravity, is much more than theory it is a fact - Kdminer - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- How the horse can help us answer one of evolution's biggest questions - Phys.Org - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- How evolution alters biological invasions - Science Daily - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Cockeyed squid shines light on deep sea evolution - Christian Science Monitor - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Eye Evolution: A Closer Look - Discovery Institute - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- Evolution always wins: University of Idaho video game uses mutating aliens to teach science concepts - The Spokesman-Review - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- Geneticists track the evolution of parenting - Phys.Org - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- How this cockeyed squid shines a light on deep sea evolution - Christian Science Monitor - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- 4 Possible Roadmaps For macOS and iOS Evolution - The Mac Observer (blog) - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- The Evolution of the Energy Capital of the World - Texas Monthly - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Humons presents an atypical dance evolution - Detroit Metro Times - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Pokemon Go Adds 80 Generation 2 Pokemon, New Evolution Items This Week - IGN - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Fossil discovery rewrites understanding of reproductive evolution ... - Science Daily - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- 'X-Men: Evolution' Is the Gateway Drug of Comic Book Shows - Geek - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- A cultural catch: Evolution of wooden halibut hooks carved by native ... - Science Daily - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Bremerton's Fitness Evolution now Planet Fitness - Kitsap Sun (blog) - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Eye Evolution: The Waiting Is the Hardest Part - Discovery Institute - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Evolution Of The Yeezy: 2009-2017 - HotNewHipHop - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Prebiotic evolution: Hairpins help each other out - Science Daily - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- This 'Live Birth' Fossil Could Change Humanity's Understanding Of Evolution - Daily Caller - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Mysterious Ancient Stonehenge-Like Circles Found in Amazon Rainforest - Collective Evolution - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- 'Pokemon Go': How to Evolve Poliwhirl Into Politoed - Heavy.com - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- 'Pokemon Go': How to Evolve Slowpoke Into Slowbro or Slowking - Heavy.com - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- 'Pokemon Go': How to Evolve Gloom Into Bellossom - Heavy.com - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- Pokmon Go Dragon Scale - how to evolve Seadra into Kingdra and how to get the Dragon Scale - Eurogamer.net - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- Pokmon Go Eevee evolution: How to evolve Eevee into Umbreon, Espeon, Vaporeon, Jolteon and Flareon with new ... - Eurogamer.net - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- University of Pittsburgh guest speaker discloses evolution findings - UTA The Shorthorn - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- 'Pokemon Go' Special Items: Drop Rates for Evolution Items & Berries at Pokestops - Heavy.com - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- How Vedic Philosophy Influenced Nikola Tesla's Idea of 'Free Energy' - Collective Evolution - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Migration to America took long enough for evolution to happen on the way - Ars Technica - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- How To Choose Your Eevee Evolution In 'Pokmon GO:' Umbreon And Espeon Edition - Forbes - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Evolution Items - IGN - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Congo River fish evolution shaped by intense rapids: Genomic study ... - Science Daily - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Pokmon Go - How to evolve, use Special Items, when to evolve or Power Up your Pokmon - Eurogamer.net - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]