Business

Honeycomb Strategy appoints Lyla Thorn to amplify growth and refresh brand identity

Monday, 15 September 2025 4:05AM UTC

Honeycomb Strategy has appointed Lyla Thorn as marketing and content manager, signalling its strategic growth and a major brand refresh that highlights its innovative approach blending behavioural science and AI to support leading brands.

Honeycomb Strategy has appointed Lyla Thorn to the newly created role of marketing and content manager, signalling a strategic move to boost the consultancy's industry profile and accelerate its growth initiatives. Thorn's mandate will see her working closely with founder Renata Freund and operations director Jac Nguyen to refine Honeycomb’s brand positioning and amplify its communications. This appointment comes as the eight-year-old consultancy aims to step out from being “the industry’s best-kept secret,” according to Freund, who emphasised that Thorn's creative energy and marketing expertise will be pivotal in driving the firm's growth strategy forward.

Thorn brings nearly a decade of diverse experience to Honeycomb, including two years in South Korea where she worked as a social media strategist and graphic designer with Gunther Consulting. She also served as a senior marketing executive at ICON. Recognised as one of Australia’s top 10 social media directors, Thorn recently completed AWARD School, where she won the online radio brief and was featured twice on “the wall.” Her unique background blends marketing acumen with design prowess, placing her at the intersection of creativity and strategic thinking. Upon her appointment, Thorn expressed excitement about joining a "people-first" organisation and her eagerness to help strengthen Honeycomb’s brand and share its story within the wider industry.

This appointment follows a period of positive momentum for Honeycomb Strategy. The consultancy recently delivered its Digital Insights Series keynote at iMedia’s Future of Marketing Summit, showcasing findings from its self-funded Science of Loyalty study, which explores behaviourally informed loyalty programmes and is set for imminent release. Earlier in the year, Honeycomb hosted its Behavioural Science Masterclass, designed to equip 20 senior marketing and insights leaders with practical tools to integrate behavioural science into their strategies. These initiatives highlight Honeycomb’s commitment to blending market research, behavioural science, and artificial intelligence (AI) to support leading brands in areas such as product-market fit, go-to-market strategies, and brand positioning.

The company has also been proactive in evolving its brand identity to reflect its growing stature and innovative approach. Honeycomb recently unveiled a refreshed brand identity featuring a modernised logo and a new colour palette that includes pink, alongside updated typography. Developed collaboratively with design partner Canyon, the rebrand seeks to visually communicate Honeycomb's commitment to combining research, behavioural science, and AI technology. Founder Renata Freund noted the importance of this evolution in ensuring clients recognise Honeycomb’s approach in every interaction. This brand refresh is Honeycomb’s first since its inception in 2016 and aligns with a phase of client growth, operational momentum, and planned senior hires.

Complementing its marketing and branding efforts, Honeycomb has continued expanding its strategic team to support a growing client base. Recent appointments of senior strategy consultants Jackson Humphries and Angus McLardie bring extensive qualitative and quantitative research expertise. Managing director John Bevitt emphasised their significance in maintaining day-to-day client success and embodying the consultancy’s culture and values.

Honeycomb’s focus on trust and data privacy also remains a critical part of its offering. Its recent report, ‘Brands Beyond Breaches 2024 – A Brand Playbook for Privacy Protection,’ revealed that Australian consumers prioritise transparency around personal data handling. With 90% demanding openness and 75% favouring privacy over personalised experiences, Honeycomb’s research highlights the increasing scepticism towards undisclosed data usage. The report underscores how breaches can lead to significant customer churn, reinforcing the importance of brands being proactive and transparent to maintain consumer trust.

Honeycomb Strategy has received industry recognition for its workplace culture, ranking among The Australian’s Top 10 Best Places to Work (Small Organisation and Ethnic Minorities) for 2025, and earning finalist slots at the B&T Awards’ Research Agency of the Year in both 2022 and 2023. The consultancy’s focus on innovation, underpinned by behavioural science and AI, positions it well within the evolving landscape of marketing and research services.

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Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.mediaweek.com.au/honeycomb-strategy-appoints-lyla-thorn-as-marketing-and-content-manager/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.mediaweek.com.au/honeycomb-strategy-appoints-lyla-thorn-as-marketing-and-content-manager/ - Honeycomb Strategy has appointed Lyla Thorn as its new marketing and content manager, aiming to enhance the consultancy's industry presence and growth initiatives. Thorn brings nearly a decade of experience, including two years in South Korea as a social media strategist and graphic designer with Gunther Consulting. She was also a senior marketing executive at ICON. Recognised as one of Australia's top 10 social media directors, Thorn completed AWARD School this year, winning the online radio brief and featuring on 'the wall' twice. Her expertise lies at the intersection of marketing and design, blending creativity with strategy. Founder Renata Freund stated that Thorn's appointment is pivotal for the eight-year-old consultancy, expressing confidence in her ability to drive the growth strategy forward. Thorn expressed enthusiasm about joining Honeycomb Strategy, highlighting the team's people-first approach and her excitement to apply her skills to strengthen the brand and share its story with the wider industry. The appointment follows Honeycomb's recent presentation at iMedia's Future of Marketing Summit, where they shared findings from their self-funded Science of Loyalty study on behaviourally informed loyalty programs, set to be released shortly. Earlier this year, Honeycomb hosted its Behavioural Science Masterclass, equipping 20 senior marketing and insights leaders with practical tools for their strategies. Founded in 2017, Honeycomb Strategy combines market research, behavioural science, and AI to support leading brands on product-market fit, go-to-market, and brand strategy challenges.
https://www.mediaweek.com.au/honeycomb-strategy-reveals-revamped-brand-identity/ - Honeycomb Strategy has unveiled a new brand identity, featuring an updated logo and a pink colour palette, modern font, and brand appearance. Developed in-house and in partnership with Canyon, the rebrand reflects the company's commitment to innovation and aligns with its mission of combining research, behavioural science, and cutting-edge AI technology to deliver insights that empower brands to grow. Founder Renata Freund stated that the refreshed brand identity ensures clients see their approach reflected in every interaction. The brand evolution is underpinned by three guiding principles: first principles methodologies, methodology-agnostic tailored research frameworks, and human-centric insights presented creatively with a focus on stakeholder engagement and actionable recommendations. This is the first brand refresh for the agency since its launch in 2016 and follows client growth and operational momentum across the business. The rebrand coincides with a busy year for Honeycomb Strategy, with new senior hires set to be announced in the coming weeks. Last year, the agency achieved B Corp Certification, becoming one of the few research companies in Australia to do so.
https://www.mediaweek.com.au/honeycomb-strategy-aussies-prioritise-personal-data-security/ - Honeycomb Strategy's report, 'Brands Beyond Breaches 2024 – A Brand Playbook for Privacy Protection,' reveals that 90% of Australians demand transparency in how their personal data is handled, and 75% prefer data privacy over a personalised experience. The survey highlights that consumers are increasingly critical of how their data is used, with 72% viewing undisclosed data usage as a 'clear misuse,' and 34% considering the use of their data for personalised offers as 'improper.' The report also notes that brands on social media (72%) and social media companies (70%) are the least trusted with personal data. The fallout from data security breaches is significant, with 36% of customers switching providers after recent breaches, and 54% likely to leave a company even if their data hasn't been compromised. Managing director John Bevitt emphasised the need for brands to be proactive, transparent, and prepared to maintain consumer trust, stating that a privacy breach is a trust issue, not just a tech issue.
https://www.mediaweek.com.au/honeycomb-strategy-jackson-humphries-and-angus-mclardie-join/ - Honeycomb Strategy has appointed Jackson Humphries and Angus McLardie as senior strategy consultants to support the agency's growing client base. Humphries brings extensive experience in both qualitative and quantitative research, having previously worked as a senior research consultant at New Zealand CX agency Perceptive. McLardie is an experienced strategist and qualitative researcher with a background in zoology and anthropology, most recently working with The Lab Insight & Strategy as a consultant. Managing director John Bevitt stated that the pair will play a vital role in the day-to-day success of the growing client base and will be central to demonstrating Honeycomb's culture and values to the broader organisation. Both appointments are effective immediately.
https://www.mediaweek.com.au/mediaweek-100-returns-for-2025-with-bold-new-format/ - The Mediaweek 100 returns for 2025 with a refreshed format, introducing five themed lists, each profiling 20 influential leaders shaping Australia's media and marketing ecosystem. The new categories are Power 20, Growth 20, Innovation 20, Influence 20, and Impact 20, broadening industry representation and recognising diverse expressions of power and impact across the media landscape. The event is scheduled for Friday, 24 October 2025, at Crown Sydney. The Agency 50 will also be refreshed for 2025, now judged on merit rather than size, with a new advisory panel guiding the criteria and direction. This ensures that leaders from both large holding groups and independents are recognised for their innovation, creativity, and impact.
https://www.mediaweek.com.au/mediaweek-100-power-list-2024/ - The Mediaweek 100 Power List 2024 highlights Australia's top media executives, including Brook Hall, Chief Content Officer at Seven, Martin Kugeler, CEO of Stan, and Gereurd Roberts, Group Managing Director of Seven Digital. Hall oversees content commissioning and acquisition across Seven West Media's channels, Kugeler leads Stan's streaming platform, and Roberts manages Seven's digital and streaming business. The list recognises leaders who have significantly influenced the media industry, with entries from 56 different media companies, reflecting the diverse impact of executives across the sector.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative is recent, published on 15 September 2025, with no evidence of prior publication or recycled content. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score.

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: No direct quotes are present in the narrative, indicating original content.

Source reliability

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative originates from Mediaweek, a reputable Australian media industry publication. However, the absence of direct quotes and reliance on a press release may limit the depth of verification.

Plausability check

Score: 9

Notes: The claims about Lyla Thorn's appointment and her background are plausible and align with her professional history. The narrative lacks specific factual anchors such as dates and institutions, which could enhance credibility.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is recent, original, and sourced from a reputable publication. The absence of direct quotes and specific factual anchors slightly limit verification depth, but overall, the content appears credible.

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