Christine Jones of Sirenxyz on Why Brands Need to Be One of the Girls
Christine Jones founded Sirenxyz after years as Global Executive Creative Director at Ridley Scott Creative Group, where she led the creative division. Brands such as Avon were asking for more honest storytelling aimed at women, and the women on her creative team wanted to get to the heart of those stories. A luxury car company that had been targeting men was missing its fastest-growing buyers, Asian women over 30. Then, over lunch with two talented female creatives who were not getting much work, Christine decided the industry needed a new type of agency, one where better work for women could be created by women. She built it on a simple rule: if the business is profitable after all outgoings, the profit is shared equally.
Christine says brands still get it wrong. When Sirenxyz recently asked women which brands “got them”, not one could name a brand. Her answer is that brands need to be one of the girls and be in the room, and to talk to women the way women talk among themselves rather than pushing the female narrative in a male way. Her advice is to stop trying to be disruptors, be the creators instead, and join the story that is already there.
Sirenxyz now has a lot in the pipeline: a micro drama for a UK brand, stories for the brand platforms of National Geographic and Disney, and sports talent stories developed with YouTubers and CAA. Christine would also love to see more brands get involved with the LA Olympics, the first time more women will take part. To women who want to build a creative business, she says to get your tone of voice right and do it your way, because that is your USP. In this Q&A with Founded by Women, she shares why she started Sirenxyz, what brands get wrong when they try to reach women through content, and what is next.
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Q: What made you start Sirenxyz, and why branded storytelling for women, by women?
At the time I was the Global ECD at Ridley Scott Creative Group, leading the creative division. A few brands had approached us to look at specifically targeting women in a more honest and real way. Avon, which had a predominantly female workforce, wanted stories about their reps. Yes, we could have written something and made it work, but the women on the creative team wanted to get to the heart of those stories. So, we created a few questions that allowed the reps to be themselves and tell their stories. The end result was much more emotional and successful.
In the meantime a luxury car company had approached us to look at their female audience which was growing fast in Asia. They had been targeting white 40-45 year old men and yet the fastest growth in purchasers was Asian women 30+. They were missing their target.
In the meantime I had lunch with two exceptionally talented female creatives, one a director, the other an editorial writer, who were not getting much work. I thought to myself: this is madness, we need to create a new type of agency where better work for women can be created by women.
I also have a policy that if the business is profitable after all outgoings, the profit is shared equally, not more to management or less to the new starter, we all get the same amount. I was sick and tired of working my arse off to have the carrot dangled about bonuses only to see my profit being moved to help another part of the company that wasn’t successful and my teams not get what they deserved. SIREN was born.
Q: What do brands most often get wrong when they try to reach women through content?
Ok so we recently conducted a small piece of research. What was fascinating was that we asked women which brands “got them”. Not one woman could think of a brand, they hesitated, hummed and ahhed, and really struggled to answer. Brands need to be one of the girls, they need to be in the room. Stop pushing the female narrative in a male way.
I don’t know if you notice, but when I am out with my girlfriends we chat “girl talk,” and that can be anything personal to anything raunchy to just pure straight talking. When a guy joins that mix the conversation changes. If brands are talking to women, talk to them the way they chat among other women. Stop being disruptors and be the creators. Join the story that’s already there and stop trying to make it up.
Q: What’s next for Sirenxyz, and what would you tell women who want to build a creative business?
We currently have some exciting things in the pipeline. We have created a micro drama for a brand here in the UK. We are working closely with National Geographic and Disney on stories for their brand platform, and we are developing sports talent stories with YouTubers and CAA. I really want brands to get involved with the LA Olympics; it’s the first time in history more women will be participating and there are some amazing women for brands to tap into.
For women out there who want to build a creative business, get your tone of voice right, it really matters. Be strong, back it up but also be... a woman. Do it your way because that’s your USP.
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