About

Rocket Science founder and strategic director Mel Johnstone has over 25 years experience tackling often gnarly marketing and executive challenges across both B2B and B2C organisations.

Her experience spans a broad range of industries including technology, automotive, finance, wine, publishing, IT, charities, retail and telecommunications. She has also supported some of Australia’s leading customer experience agencies including MercerBell, Ogilvy and Rapp.

She launched Rocket Science in 2002, to provide clients with a highly experienced, flexible and strategic alternative to advertising agencies and large consultancies.

Her goal back then was the same as it is today; to be a seamless extension of her clients’ teams by bringing a strategic approach based on customer insight, backed by sound financial modelling to unlock long-term measurable commercial value.

In 2018 she was invited by her client Splendid Group, to join them as their strategy director to support them through their next phase of growth. For close to 5 years she led their CMO strategic advisory service and created marketing program strategies for B2B technology vendors and their channel partners. A selection of clients included Microsoft, HP, Fujitsu, and Vocus. Her customer-centric strategic recommendations for Microsoft Australia, have been rolled out across the UK and the US.

In 2021, she relaunched Rocket Science to continue what she started but with a new focus and passion for B2B and technology.

She was a Finalist for the B&T Marketer of the Year category in 2020 and a Finalist in the Strategy Category in 2019. She also won the ADMA Australian Young Direct Marketer of the Year in 2002 for her work helping Land Rover to sell New Range Rovers before they even arrived onshore in Australia.

Up until recently, she was also teaching the ADMA Data Driven Marketing course, and continues to mentor young industry talent.

It has been so awesome working with Mel and the Rocket Science team, who have put in so much effort, passion and drive to bring our brand and people to organisations that we can create value for. Despite so much to do in these early stages, having Mel in our corner makes us feel like everything will be alright. The strategic influence and direction that Rocket Science have brought to articulate our message in such a sophisticated way to a market that needs as much support as it can get, shouldn’t be underestimated. I am very humbled and grateful for the contribution Rocket Science has made to our business.
- Scott McKeanCEO, Peloton Cyber
Mel just get's it and more importantly, get's it done! Her knowledge and experience is second to none, her strategic planning and leadership is thorough, realistic and delivers! Working with Mel, she was part of the team not just another agency. She built strong and influential relationships across our wider business and team that deeply valued and appreciated her approach and work. Mel's drive and enthusiasm for her clients success and deep knowledge and experience within the IT Channel is unique as is her ability to build deep commercially centered, results driven relationships with her clients.
- James BrightICT Marketing Strategist (formally Tech Data ANZ Marketing Director)
Mel and the team at Rocket Science worked as an extension of our team. They went well and truly above and beyond to ensure that the campaign was a success. I have never worked with a more dedicated, passionate and capable team. The campaign set a platform for our CX integration capability to reach new and existing customers.
- Tamika SercombeHead of Marketing & Channel at Uniti Group Limited
With our recent Surface campaign, Mel managed to unite and inspire some very experienced Microsoft marketing, product and industry education leaders. The campaign she devised gave us a razor-sharp view of our education customers, the problems they experience, and how we can help. She connected our team internally, enabling us to keep up with our customers as their needs changed, and helped us to get global exposure and support for our local approach here in Australia. As a result, we achieved the highest ever sales of Surface in education for the financial year. Microsoft is now considered to be a trusted partner to our education customers, rather than just a technology vendor.
- Emily WeightProduct Marketing Manager at Microsoft
Mel Johnstone was engaged by Metallurgical Systems to create and execute a marketing strategy. In a short timeframe, Mel had researched and defined our industries challenges and created a customer-centric communications plan to inform our industry how Metallurgical Systems products and services helps to solve these challenges. Mel worked with our team of subject matter experts to develop the best-in-class marketing content and customer experience to showcase the expertise, knowledge and proven success of Metallurgical Systems. It has been an absolute pleasure working with Mel - her professionalism, perfectionism and knowledge of B2B marketing is second to none.
- John VagenasManaging Director, Metallurgical Systems
Over the past few years Mel has emerged as one of the leading strategists in Australia. She’s consistently tasked with solving some of the most complex communications problems in the industry. Problems that span business silos, customer segments and industries. Her depth of research, data acumen and ability to tie customer insights to commercial value through end-to-end campaign planning has made her invaluable to the clients that ask us to tackle these expansive challenges. Mel elevates the level of everyone she works with and is genuine, humble and contagiously passionate about what she does. While at Splendid, she has also been deservedly recognised as a finalist for Australia’s ‘Marketer of the Year’.
- Tim SandsCo-Founder and Director, Splendid Group
Mel is a super-smart, dedicated and passionate leader who has set the bar high at Splendid with sharp, insight-led strategies and well-considered models and frameworks that really understand the nuances of B2B tech marketing. Mel's passion for improving customer experiences drives her to go the extra mile for her clients and to challenge those around her to be the best they can be. In the time we have worked together I have benefitted hugely from Mel's knowledge, support and sage counsel. Anyone facing a particularly gnarly marketing or business challenge would do well to have Mel onside - she unfailingly brings a deeper level of customer understanding to projects, going well beyond the predictable and formulaic to create clever, often surprising, opportunities for brands to connect with their customers.
- Jess LittlewoodStrategy Director & Business Lead (UK), Splendid Group
Mel worked with us on a complex monetisation project for a large corporate client, and did an amazing job getting to grips with the problem, then sifting through the complexity to create a workable and flexible model. She works extremely well with both clients and other strategists, and is always willing to put in the extra effort to ensure the quality of her work is top notch. Looking forward to working with her again on other projects.
- Mike ZeederbergManaging Director at Zuni
I first worked with Mel as part of a pitch team where she led the strategic response, and resulting win. She brings a sense of calm and rational thinking to her work which in turn, inspires confidence in those around her. Her customer centricity and mastery of data means her work actually delivers against stated objectives. She is also generous with her time, constructive in her feedback, and open to sharing her knowledge. I would work with her again in a heartbeat.
- Merran MortonGeneral Manager at Inside Policy