Retail Food Group appoints creative and media partner across four key brands

Retail Food Group has appointed Thinkerbell as its creative and media partner for four of its core brands: Donut King, Crust Pizza, Brumby’s Bakery and Gloria Jean’s.

The appointment follows a competitive pitch process run by Mad Clarity and is already underway. The remit spans creative and media across paid, owned, shared and earned channels, with a focus on driving brand growth across RFG’s multi-brand portfolio.

Retail Food Group chief marketing officer Tanya Watt said the decision was driven by Thinkerbell’s ability to balance strategic rigour with creativity.

“We were impressed by Thinkerbell’s strategic clarity and the way they balanced rigorous evidence with bold creativity,” Watt said. “Donut King, Crust, Brumby’s and Gloria Jean’s each play a different role in Australian culture, and we’re excited to partner with an agency that understands how to grow them individually while elevating the portfolio as a whole.”

She said the partnership was expected to deliver impact not just at a brand level, but across RFG’s broader franchise network.

“We’re confident this collaboration will deliver meaningful impact for our customers and franchise network,” Watt said.

Thinkerbell general manager Phillippa Netolicky said the agency would apply its ‘Measured Magic’ approach across the portfolio, blending marketing science with creative execution to drive commercial outcomes.

“Retail Food Group’s brands are part of everyday Aussie life - whether it’s a sweet treat, a pizza night, coffee ritual or grabbing a loaf of bread from Brumby’s,” Netolicky said. “Through Measured Magic, we’ll create culturally relevant, behaviour-changing work that drives real commercial outcomes for each brand and the broader RFG portfolio.”

Retail Food Group operates a national network of food and beverage franchises, with Donut King, Crust Pizza, Brumby’s Bakery and Gloria Jean’s among its best-known brands.