Brent Nolan - Blunt Agency

Update: 2025-08-31

Description

Remarkable Regional Business – Episode 33

Guest: Brent Nolan

Business Name: Blunt Agency

Website: https://www.bluntagency.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentnolan/

Topics Covered

/ What is Blunt Agency? A 3-Part Brand Framework

Brent explains Blunt’s structure as a brand agency with three core services: brand strategy, implementation (design and content) and ongoing nurture. This integrated model helps clients build, launch and sustain strong brands over time.

/ The Power of Regional Perspective in Branding

Operating nationally from Bendigo, Brent shares how understanding regional and metro markets adds unique value to national clients. His team’s deep local knowledge helps brands better connect with varied Australian audiences.

/ Hiring and Culture in a Regional Creative Business

Brent discusses the challenges and wins of building a design-led team in regional Victoria. He talks candidly about sourcing talent, integrating international hires and fostering long-term team loyalty and mentorship.

/ No Scarcity Mindset: Building a Community of Creatives

Rather than guarding market share, Brent embraces abundance. He encourages growth in the local creative ecosystem and maintains positive relationships with former team members – even those who become competitors.

/ Why Brand Strategy Comes Before Design

Brent reveals how a lack of strategy used to lead to guesswork in design. Today, Blunt begins every project with strategy, enabling better messaging, positioning and visual outcomes that align across the organisation.

/ Case Study: Reframing a Tech Product for Growth

A Singapore-based tech firm needed help simplifying their complex point-of-sale solution. Brent’s team helped translate technical value into customer-facing messaging, tailoring narratives for different stakeholders.

/ Discovering the Real Product: Solving the Right Problem

Brent shares how strategic workshops revealed that a client’s oil product wasn’t really about the oil – it was about solving inflammation. This repositioning opened up a much larger, health-conscious customer base.

/ From Design to Business Transformation

Brand strategy at Blunt often unlocks deeper business insights. Brent describes how aligning internal teams under a unified brand story helps organizations reduce inefficiencies and create cultural clarity.

/ Who Should Invest in Brand Strategy?

While big corporates benefit greatly from strategic branding, Brent explains how even startups and SMEs can gain long-term value from foundational brand work – if they are growth-oriented and market-driven.

/ Efficiency Through Clarity: Avoiding Wasted Marketing

Without brand clarity, businesses stall, delay campaigns, and waste time. Brent outlines how strong strategy creates marketing agility, faster execution, and a more confident path to growth.

References