Telstra launches Roam, an in-house agency built to move ‘at the speed of culture’

Telstra has unveiled a new in-house creative agency, Roam, described as “creative outsiders on the inside” and designed to bring greater agility and cultural relevance to the telco’s marketing output.

The agency is led by Gemma Poesaste, who joined Telstra in January after seven years with OLIVER Agency UK. Poesaste previously confirmed the in-house team’s relaunch was part of a broader effort to “dial up impact” across Telstra’s marketing activity.

Over the past few months, Roam has been quietly building a senior creative line-up, including Matt Corcoran, who takes the role of creative director after more than a year with DDB; Sophie Jurkiewicz, who joins as art director; and Alexander (Harry) Hayes, who takes on the role of senior copywriter after almost 10 years with NBN.

"Over the years, I’ve built in-house teams with some of the world’s biggest brands. And one thing has always stood out - it’s not about where you sit, it’s about how you think," Poesaste said in a LinkedIn post. "At Roam, I’ve been lucky enough to procure a team who share that mindset - people who bring all their agency experience, curiosity, and craft to build something great from the inside out."

Poesaste hinted the agency was already 52 people strong.

The move expands Telstra’s internal capabilities and complements its bespoke agency +61 - the creative and media collective led by Bear Meets Eagle on Fire, TBWA and OMD. +61 recently launched Telstra’s high-profile campaign starring Steve Buscemi, underlining its continued role in leading major brand communications.

Poesaste described Roam as a team that lives the brand “every day,” able to “spot opportunities where others don’t” and create “ideas that grow from the inside out.”

The dual-agency model suggests Telstra is seeking the best of both worlds - the deep brand immersion of an in-house team and the creative firepower of external partners - as part of CMO Brent Smart’s ongoing effort to modernise Telstra’s marketing engine.