November, 2025.- In this Roastbrief interview, Jenna Russell, Executive Strategy Director at Enigma, reflects on her return to Australia after nearly 20 years shaping some of the world’s most recognizable brands in London. With a portfolio that includes Cadbury, OREO, and Huggies, Russell brings global insight to an agency she describes as “independent, ambitious, and full of energy.” Her goal: to help brands become truly “unignorable” by combining emotional intelligence with cultural and commercial relevance.
For Russell, joining Enigma was as much about purpose as it was about timing. “The chemistry with Dom was instant,” she says. “We both believe strategy should be deeply human, culturally alert, and commercially ambitious.” She sees the agency’s spirit — bold, curious, and grounded — as the perfect environment to merge creativity with clarity.
Her philosophy is built on the belief that brands grow when they matter to people. Cultural resonance and business growth, she argues, are not competing goals but complementary forces. As she helps shape Enigma’s next chapter, Russell envisions strategy not as a static discipline, but as a living practice that connects insight, empathy, and ambition — a creative bridge between what people feel and what brands can become.
After nearly two decades in London working with leading global brands, what motivated your decision to return to Australia and join Enigma at this particular moment in your career?
In the 15+ years I spent immersed in London’s advertising community, I’ve built some incredible memories. I’ve been guardian of some epic brands, helped shape some incredible up-and-coming talent and put more than a few things out in the world that have used the power of advertising to shape people and the planet in better ways for the future, and even won an award or two. I had an absolute blast doing it, but I had a niggling feeling it was time to return to my roots.
London is the epicentre of brand-building and creative effectiveness, and I’d been lucky enough to be surrounded by some whip-smart people, but the Australian market is evolving rapidly, and I saw a real opportunity to share my experience and contribute to what’s going to be an exciting period of growth at Enigma.
The agency stood out because it matched the exact blend of ambition, independence, and momentum I was looking for at this stage in my career. It was more than just the work for me; I had the opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping the future.
You’ve described Enigma as a place full of energy and ambition. What aspects of the agency’s culture or vision resonated most with you when deciding to take on this new role?
One of the biggest catalysts was the immediate chemistry with Dom. We realised quickly that we shared a vision for what modern strategy should look like – deeply human, culturally alert, and commercially ambitious. Enigma has this infectious energy: an independence and hunger that you can feel the moment you walk in – and it’s the people that make the difference. Like most agencies, it’s filled with super smart people determined to make great work, but what makes Enigma unique is that they do it with a serious amount of swagger and a good chunk of humour.
Your background includes strategy for iconic brands like Cadbury, OREO, and Huggies. What key lessons from those global campaigns do you believe can be applied to the Australian market and Enigma’s clients?
Working on brands like Cadbury taught me the power of simple, emotionally resonant ideas executed with consistency. The best brands succeed because they balance strong brand platforms with an ability to execute them in creatively fresh, meaningful ways over time. That’s incredibly relevant to Australian brands right now, especially as Aussies expect more emotional depth and cultural awareness from the brands they support.
Enigma’s mission is to make brands “unignorable.” How do you interpret that goal strategically, and what does it take for a brand to truly stand out in today’s crowded cultural and media landscape?
Being ‘unignorable’ means creating brands that don’t just appear in people’s lives – they matter to them. Strategically, it’s about identifying the one thing a brand can own in culture and expressing it in a way that’s bold, fresh, and emotionally arresting. In a world where attention is fractured and people are overloaded with noise; they will only give their time to the things they genuinely care about. Being unignorable is about finding that human truth already alive within your audience and building work that taps directly into it, so the brand feels impossible to overlook.
You’ve often bridged creativity, culture, and commercial impact. How do you ensure that purpose-driven or culturally resonant campaigns also deliver measurable business results?
I’ve always believed that cultural relevance and commercial impact aren’t opposing forces – they strengthen each other when the strategy is tight. Cultural resonance is the engine of growth.
Brands that reflect the lived experience of their audience are rewarded with loyalty and advocacy. The world is evolving faster than ever, and so too are the values, beliefs and expectations of the people they serve. The speed of change forces people to be more discerning, which shapes how they engage with brands. The most culturally powerful work doesn’t just capture attention in the moment; it builds long-term mental availability and emotional connection.
As Executive Strategy Director, how do you plan to evolve Enigma’s multi-disciplinary strategic offering to help brands connect with Australians in more authentic and emotionally meaningful ways?
For me, strategy has always been about people. Everything I’ve done in Fashion, hospitality, and advertising has taught me how much real connection matters. I’ve spent my career listening to people, understanding what they care about and finding creative ways to meet them where they are.
At Enigma, I want to bring all of that experience together. Helping define the strategic product to feel emotionally honest, proudly Australian and grounded in the realities of how people think, feel and behave – something that feels deeply human, distinctly Enigma, and genuinely useful for the people and businesses we work with.
