A New Kind of Media Company
We don’t follow the playbook, we build the engine.
Who We Are
You’ve seen our work already. Scrolling TikTok, binging YouTube, or subscribing to a new creator. We’re the engine behind some of the most-watched shows and fastest-growing content brands on the internet.
Totem was purpose-built for the social era. It’s not just that we understand platforms, we’ve helped shape them. With 15 years of hands-on experience growing audiences and monetising IP across every major social platform, our audience-first mindset sets us apart. We don’t just help businesses navigate the digital space, we redefine how it works.
From motorbikes to media boardrooms.
Totem began with a creator’s journey. Before founding the company, Steve Crombie traversed over 500,000 kilometres across oceans and outback by motorbike and sailboat, documenting his stories for both global broadcasters and the internet. That spirit of exploration and grit, of forging your own path, became Totem’s DNA.
In 2012, YouTube asked Steve to help scale the platform across APAC. Totem was born. What started with consulting quickly grew into a global studio, trusted by platforms and partners to design new ways of reaching audiences.
That journey shaped how we work today: creator-minded, audience-first, and unafraid to push into new frontiers.
What we believe in
Totem was built on a belief that the old rules no longer apply and that better ones can be imagined.
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Innovation-focused
Innovation isn’t a buzzword, it’s our operating model. We don’t wait for permission. We invent smarter systems, content, and strategies that shape what’s next.
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Curiosity-driven
Questions power everything. Our curiosity maps what matters, exposes blind spots, and finds new angles, so we can move with speed, accuracy, and confidence.
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Human Centered
We design work around people, supporting their creativity, ambition, and wellbeing. We believe when people are empowered, they do their best work.
Built Different, Built Global
Totem was built from the ground up. No legacy systems, no hand-me-down playbooks. That means we understand how to scale a modern media business because we’ve done it ourselves.
Headquartered in Byron Bay, our team spans 5 continents, working remotely across time zones with the agility and diversity today’s media landscape demands. We work with partners in the US, UK, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
We’re built for now, operate globally, and we’re always on.
Let's Work Together
Whether you're a brand, platform, content owner, or future team member we’d love to hear from you. Complete the form and we’ll get back to you.