Bonfire brings Perth marketers together about why going ‘Off Script’ has never been so on

Bonfire brought more than 100 Perth marketers to Palace Raine Square Cinema last week for its first “Off Script” event, to discuss taking creative risks and doing unexpected work in 2026.

More than 100 Perth marketers attended the exclusive invite-only event, coming together for an evening of honest conversation, industry insights, real-world creative inspiration and collaboration.

Featuring a host of Bonfire senior agency talent, the event delved into the power of going off script, highlighting how brands can stand out in 2026 by challenging category conventions, breaking from the expected, and finding new ways to engage their audiences.

Bonfire Creative Director, Luke Williams delivered the main presentation, exploring the habits that keep brands following category conventions and why brands need to shed those habits to win hearts, minds and wallets.

Austral Fisheries General Manager of Sales and Marketing, Dylan Skinns then joined Bonfire’s creative team to discuss “Eat the Wild”, the Skull Island Prawns campaign that put a guitar-shredding prawn on the ocean floor and saw sales jump. The discussion gave guests a look at the work from both sides of the client-agency relationship, including what gave Austral the confidence to back it.

The event culminated in a live Q&A session, followed by networking opportunities in Palace Raine Square’s Champagne Lounge.

Luke Williams said: “Man, to have a room of more than 100 marketers all agree that the only way out of this mess is creativity was bloody refreshing. Perth is filled to the brim with brilliant clients, agencies and freelancers. We need to stick together and go get it.

“Off Script was designed to challenge the way marketers think about the creative work their brand produces. We’re conditioned from an early age to stay ‘on script’, but it’s the worst thing we can do for brands. In a world where AI is making creativity faster and increasingly predictable, playing it safe is the biggest risk of all. To win in 2026, we need to get off script. So, in that way, not much has really changed.”

Dylan Skinns said: “It was great to share how easy it is to actually go off script successfully when you build from your own DNA and you work with a partner that immerses themselves in your business.

“Prawns are traditionally treated as a commodity, but the Bonfire team has succeeded in creating a campaign that gives Skull Island Prawns a personality that people love and can remember.”