About Equality Media + Marketing
What is Equality Media + Marketing?
Equality Media + Marketing is an independent Melbourne-based full-service agency — "strategy, creative, media" in one team — that started life in 2018 as a more traditional media-buying shop. The about page tells the origin story plainly: "We started in 2018 as a more traditional media agency – providing media recommendations and booking advertising space. By forming close working relationships and understanding more about our clients' businesses, it soon became apparent that we possessed broader skills that could add real value… we'd evolved to the point that our overarching reason for existing was to align your business purpose with your customer's desires."
The agency now operates across three pillars: Strategy (marketing + comms plans, brand strategy, social media strategy, market analytics, audience segmentation), Creative (creative direction + copywriting, brand identity, web design + development, eDM, content creation) and Media (channel planning, budgeting, investment management, campaign implementation + reporting). Recent client work spans Te Taumata | Lakeview, Minton Place, Zest Living, Women's Property Initiatives, Newport Village and Carwash Sales & Advisory.
Where will I work?
The Melbourne studio is located at 47 Coppin St, Richmond 3121 (per the live website footer), on Wurundjeri land — "Equality acknowledges the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, the traditional custodians of this land." The team operates a hybrid model with flexible work-from-home and in-office days. Phone: 1300 965 525.
What is the Equality Media team like?
The about page lists 28 named team members across leadership and craft. Senior leadership: Marilla Akkermans (Managing Director), Leah Cioccio (Strategy Director), Sam Robson (Business Director Creative), Rachel Round (Finance Director), Amy Weatherlake (Business Director Media), Tora Buchardt (Digital Performance Director), Kristy Tong (Creative Services Director). The agency is repeatedly recognised industry-wide for its culture: 2026 AFR BOSS Best Place to Work — Media + Marketing (Winner) and Best Small Organisation 20-99 employees (Winner); 2025 AdNews Employer of the Year and Australian Financial Review Fast 100 (#55); 2024 AFR BOSS Best Place to Work Most Outstanding Practice in Employee Flexibility (Winner) and B&T Women in Media Employer + People + Culture (Winner). The 2023 AFR BOSS Best Place to Work (Winner) marked the agency's breakthrough into the national-best-employer conversation.
Work-Life Balance
The EQUALITY.TIME section of the about page is gold-standard verbatim: "In April 2022, we took the next step – a giant leap – and consolidated the findings of numerous workshops + trialling best practices to establish a 32-hour/four-day work week. And we cannot be more thrilled with the results. In the first 12 months, we've noted an increase in productivity, fewer sick days and a real buzz around the office."
The partner EQUALITY.CARE programme adds 19 extra days of personal- and family-related leave on top of standard annual leave: "In 2022 we added additional entitlements for our team, including access to leave for menopause/menstruation, gender affirmation, Pawternity, pregnancy loss, grandparents + carers – that's 19 extra days! We also pay attention to the basics, like meaningful personal development plans + training courses, access to EAP and genuinely fun activities run by our mental health + wellness committee and social club (think trivia nights, karaoke, barefoot bowls + mindfulness sessions)."
Community giving is built in: the agency pledges 10% of profits to not-for-profit organisations including Women's Property Initiatives, Pay The Rent and Djirra (in acknowledgement that the Wurundjeri lands on which the agency is based were never ceded), provides pro bono services to WPI, and actively participates in The March Charge for cancer research.
Perks and Benefits
The published benefits on /about-us focus on time, wellness and community impact rather than dollar amounts:
- 32-hour, four-day work week since April 2022.
- EQUALITY.CARE leave entitlements — 19 extra days for menopause/menstruation, gender affirmation, Pawternity, pregnancy loss, grandparents + carers, on top of annual leave.
- Mental health + wellness committee running EAP access, trivia, karaoke, barefoot bowls, mindfulness sessions.
- Personal development plans + training courses for each team member.
- Hybrid work with flexibility to work from home or in the Richmond office.
- Community giving — 10% of profits to not-for-profits; pro bono for Women's Property Initiatives.