Adrenalin celebrates 50 years of creativity, agility and no-BS thinking

While many agencies have come and gone, Adrenalin Marketing – the boutique Sydney-based agency – has hit a major milestone: 50 years of creative, commercial, and cultural relevance in Australia’s ever-evolving marketing landscape.

Founded in 1975 by Peter Alsford – affectionately dubbed “the John Singleton of Sales Promotions” – Adrenalin was born from a gutsy leap of faith and a desire to do things differently.

Alsford, who was mentored by Singleton in the early days, saw the future in what was then a brand-new discipline: below-the-line marketing. While mainstream agencies snubbed it, Adrenalin jumped in headfirst, and never looked back.

Now run by Alsford and two fellow partners (Peter Kealy and Paul Rogers), Adrenalin is still kicking goals with a no-BS team of talented designers, strategists, digital marketers and copywriters who live and breathe creative problem-solving. From classic point-of-sale and packaging, to integrated digital campaigns, promotions and events, this is an agency that’s survived it all – not by playing it safe, but by saying yes to things others wouldn’t touch.

“In this game, you survive by adapting. But you win by staying original,” says Alsford. “We’ve done both for 50 years. And we’re not done yet. Our motto has always been, ‘The word NO is never used in our house – we’ve said yes to everything from TV commercials on shoestring budgets to national integrated promotions for petrol stations. If it can be done, we’ll do it.”

(Comet courier company ad, created by Peter Alsford – 1983)

(Raid ad featuring Australian talkback radio presenter John Laws, created by Peter Alsford – 1992)

Adrenalin’s portfolio includes major clients like Revlon, McDonald’s, Epson, Dulux, and Johnson & Johnson, alongside countless SMEs who get the same custom-fit service as the big players.

The secret sauce? Agility, integrity, and a relentless drive to stay ahead of the curve. From the good old days of hard copy direct mail and call-back centres to today’s crowded and noisy digital battlefield, Adrenalin has pivoted and evolved without ever losing touch with its creative edge or soul.

The agency also prides itself on its culture – a collaborative, ethical and relentlessly positive approach that’s powered them through five decades of industry flux. And, in a time when AI is reshaping the creative industry once again, Adrenalin sees opportunity, not threat.

“AI can help with production, but it can’t replace great ideas, and that’s our playground,” says Alsford. “We bring tech to the table, but it’s gutsy thinking that gets results.”

As the team celebrates their golden milestone on 31 July, the message is clear: longevity matters. Experience matters. And creativity – the real kind – matters more than ever.

“If you want someone who’s been there, done that, and still bloody loves it – that’s us,” says Alsford. “We’re not the biggest, but we’re the most determined. And we’ve still got plenty of Adrenalin left in the tank.”

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