With a shared passion for branding, storytelling, and culture, we bring together over 15 years of experience in creative advertising, design leadership, and strategic marketing.
How did they meet?
Raphael’s response to “How did you two meet?” still makes us laugh: “Erm. At my wife’s rave! Lol.” (Rita would like the record to show it was definitely not a rave.) The truth? They first crossed paths through Raphael’s wife, who’s a friend of Rita’s—but it was at her birthday party where things really clicked. What began as a casual chat about work quickly uncovered something rarer: not just shared industry experience and mutual connections, but aligned values, complementary strengths, and a belief that great work starts with great people.
At the time, Raphael was working at the independent agency, Brave Spark, which happened to be looking for a Business Director. He introduced Rita to the team and the rest, as they say, is history.
A shared passion
What began as a chance meeting (ask Rita about the butterfly effect theory when you meet her) evolved into a strong professional bond, rooted in mutual respect, shared ambition, and a drive to do work that truly matters.
From the beginning, they cared just as much about the people behind the projects as the work itself, the culture behind the campaigns, and the impact beyond the deliverables.
They weren’t just building client relationships, they were building teams, growing agency culture, and crafting stories that resonated deeply.
And along the way, they kept noticing the same gap: while brands were investing heavily in external campaigns, their internal culture—their most powerful brand asset—was often an afterthought.
They knew it was time to change that.
The expertise
Raphael brings a gift for insight-led brand narratives and visually compelling experiences, shaping identities for both global brands and disruptive startups. Rita brings a strategic, global lens having led campaigns in Sydney, Singapore and London for some of the world’s biggest brands, with work shortlisted at Cannes and D&AD.
With over 15 years of combined experience across creative advertising, design leadership, and strategic marketing, they bring passion, authenticity, and a shared belief people are the heartbeat of a brand.
The vision
That’s why they founded Rare Shift, a creative studio helping brands live their identity from the inside out. By blending strategic creative branding with powerful storytelling, they help businesses create authentic, aligned brands where purpose isn’t just something you say, it’s something you live.