A bright object.
A mystery wrapped in an enigma. That’s what we’re looking for in marketing and brand. It just so happens that it also describes my favourite moon in the solar system…. And the name of Europa Creative Partners (and our newsletter, Bright Objects).
Europa is just bloody cool.
The story of Europa Creative Partners
Europa Creative Partners helps tech and innovation firms and SME businesses grow revenue and fame through smart B2B marketing. Today, we’re a thriving outfit with customers like JOURNEY, EPIT, and Machine & Partners.
I founded Europa as a side hustle nearly 10 years ago, with my first customer, the rising and upcoming Parkable. I left my big corporate job a few years ago to establish Europa as a full-time business. We had a magnificent year and a bit until one of my customers, Auckland Rugby League/ARL, offered me the role of CMO full-time. It was a superb job, but eventually, I realised I wanted to return to building Europa Creative Partners again. ARL were great about the whole thing, and we kept working together after I left.
The latest (and greatest) version of Europa Creative Partners
In May of 2024, I reactivated Europa, and we opened our doors again. My not-so-secret weapon is my business partner, Cory Gordon, and his exceptional Roger Roger Marketing team. Cory and I have worked together as customers and agencies for each other in various roles for over 13 years.
I’ve helped many organisations build brands and bring in new customers through the systems we’ve honed over the years, but all the same it was scary. New Zealand had entered a brutal recession, and I had no customers.
Hitting the road and digital highways
So what did I do? I drank our own medicine, built strong performance marketing, hit the road, and had over 100 coffees with people. Some of my old customers took me back, and we’re immensely proud of the new people who joined our cohort.
Today, we are doing some of the most satisfying work of my career for some of the most exceptional human beings I’ve ever had the pleasure of interacting with, at work or in life. What an honour and a lucky man I am.
What’s in a name?
Naming a company is often one of the most challenging tasks for any brand. It’s more than just a label—it’s a statement reflecting values and aspirations. Strategic brand agency Brandwell recommends an eight-step process. It’s important to consider brand architecture and potential future extension, like some of the suggestions in this Swiss Start-Up Association article.
Sometimes, creativity is more direct and happens to be what is right in front of you. Maybe it’s something that you have been completely obsessed with your whole life. I needed an analogy for something magnificent that stood apart, so it’s probably not shocking where we ended up.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” is a phrase I dread hearing. That’s because no matter what I should be thinking…….. I am most likely thinking about the icy moons of the outer solar system.
Where it all began: Halley’s Comet and Voyager 2
Halley’s Comet visited New Zealand (and the rest of the world) in 1985-1986, and at the same time, Voyager 2 visited Uranus. These were seminal events in my life. At school, at lunchtime, this 80s nerd was allowed to spend time in the resources room reading and photocopying old National Geographics with double-page spreads and dubious graphics of Pioneer and Voyager missions – and this is where I first came across Europa.
Europa has a sub-surface ocean that might have more water in it than we do.
What’s the big deal about Europa?
So, why Europa? Europa is one of Jupiter’s moons, but not just any moon. It’s a world of ice, with a surface that hides an ocean beneath. Scientists believe that Europa could potentially harbour life, making it one of the most intriguing bodies in our solar system.
Europa appears to have the ingredients of life we see here on Earth: liquid water, certain chemical elements, and an energy source. It’s even suspected that plumes of water are escaping into space – a phenomenon observed on Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus, “The Moon With The Ploom”.
Discovery, romance, and rivalry
Europa is, in many ways, a romantic figure of history. When Galileo Galilee trained his telescope on Jupiter in early 1610, he discovered all four of what is now called the Galileon moons—Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. All of these were eventually named by Galileo’s great rival, Simon Marius, after Johannes Kepler’s suggestion. They were named after mythical figures that Zeus, the Greek God precursor to Jupiter, abducted or seduced.
Marius claimed to have independently discovered the moons simultaneously with Galileo, but he only claimed that a few years later, in 1614. There’s quite a bit of evidence that this may be true….. Still, that’s a very Marius thing to do and yet another log on the burning beef between them.
We’re on a mission
Two missions to Europa are on their way—the European Space Agency’s Juice—Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer, already on its way, and NASA’s Europa Clipper, about to launch. They’ll arrive in the early 2030s, and the only thing we know……. is that they’ll change everything we know.
How this mindset shapes our work
At Europa Creative Partners, we bring the same sense of curiosity and exploration to marketing strategy. Just as scientists push beyond what’s known to make new discoveries, we challenge conventional thinking in marketing. That means we’re about uncovering new opportunities, testing AI-driven strategies, and rethinking how businesses engage their audiences.
We’re not here to repeat what has been done before. We’re here to find new frontiers for brands that want to stand out.
Marketing, AI, and the Next Big Leap
Much like space exploration, AI in marketing is still uncharted—exciting, unpredictable, and full of possibilities. Astronomers use AI to map galaxies; we use it to map customer journeys, predict trends, and create more intelligent, efficient, and effective marketing.
That’s why we don’t just use AI tools—we explore how they can genuinely transform marketing. While there is much overhyping around AI, it is also genuinely transformative. Both are true.
If this way of thinking resonates with you—whether it’s curiosity, exploration, or using AI to unlock new marketing opportunities—we should talk.
Come and explore with us.
At Europa Creative Partners, we work with brands that want marketing strategies as bold as their ambitions.
If your business is ready to explore new marketing frontiers: whether it’s AI-driven strategy, content that truly connects, or a smarter way to engage customers—let’s talk.