It takes rare strength to go through the recruitment process, start a new job and then realise it’s not the right one for you.

For Joanne Smith, bravery as a leader is being able to hold your ground in the face of opposition and stand up for what’s right when it’s easier not to.

In December 2021, the Omicron variant had spread nationally and the Australian travel industry yet again shut down.

When it comes to realising brave work and engaged commitment across the marketing function, it pays to think about all the moving parts, says MyDeal’s Ryan Gracie.

A 2020 research respondent described the Officeworks’ brand as ‘a middle-aged man called Brian, who likes model aeroplanes​ and warm cups of tea’ - pleasant enough, but not someone you’d choose to spend time with. Ouch.

Leaning into diversity, equity and inclusion definitely requires bravery, Google’s senior director of marketing for A/NZ, Aisling Finch, says.

It was a brave call to invest a huge amount of time and money into customer research so early on in Employment Hero’s business journey, says its marketing director, Tasman Page. But it’s proven the right one for the people management software provider.

Mark Renshaw is a big believer in using data for decision making. But to suggest this is all he bases his moves on as a global chief marketing officer would be one-sided.

While many businesses postponed or shelved brand-related activities during 2021, Moet Hennessy was one of those making the strategic decision to continue building brand desirability.

Destination NSW GM of consumer marketing, Kathryn Illy, isn’t one who just embraces the status quo. In fact, she prides herself on her brave approach of not settling for ‘that’s how we do things around here’.

Having spent 10 years building his FMCG marketing credentials across Arnott’s and Diageo, most of us would have expected Andy Morley to take a senior role in another FMCG or multinational organisation.

It’s funny how careers work out sometimes. Caroline Ruddick, currently general manager of marketing for Maurice Blackburn (MB), at one point in her career was offered a transfer to South Korea.

​Working for a luxury wine brand would surely be many marketers’ idea of heaven, and it’s an opportunity Kristy Keyte, CMO of Penfolds, fully appreciates.

Shae Keenan is the first to admit she who used to believe vulnerability in leadership was a weakness. But thanks to her experiences the last couple of years as Visit Victoria’s chief marketing officer, she now knows vulnerability is vital to brave, impactful leadership.

Caroline Raj, Senior Director and Head of Marketing AN/Z at ServiceNow, made a brave call during the pandemic, and this was to lead with vulnerability.

Lara Thom isn’t a marketer who just follows the crowd. The CMO of QSR brand, Guzman Y Gomez, says the mantra she’s instilled across her team is to focus on GYG’s business strategy and vision, rather than copying others.

It’s not often you come across a long-established poultry business investing in a plant-based protein alternative. But that’s exactly what Yash Gandhi got Baiada to do over the last two years. So it’s no wonder seeing the Green & Goodness plant-based food range on supermarket shelves was a golden marketing moment for this marketing chief.

The launch of LiSTNR in February 2021 marked the biggest change in Southern Cross Austereo’s strategic direction from broadcast to personalised digital audio at scale. So it’s not surprising to hear the launch and realisation of the brand vision is both a golden marketing moment for the media company’s CMO, Nikki Clarkson, as well as one of her most confronting over the past 18 months.

​Quokka sh*t is not something usually associated with health insurance. However, general manager, marketing and engagement of HBF, Louise Ardagh, made the brave call to associate it when launching HBF into eastern Australia.

Someone once gave Oonagh Flanagan, chief marketing officer of Funlab, career advice - which she has firmly ignored.

Slashing Mars Wrigley Australia’s innovation plan and driving a fewer, bigger, better mentality was a big call for marketing director, Ben Hill, to make. But demonstrating such bravery is paying dividends.