Ross Elliott. BA (Hons). MAICD

This is a short summary of some of the many projects I've enjoyed creating and delivering.

They have all been a lot of fun, and in the main, successful.

Click on any of the images for a brief explanation.

VIDEO. Click on the image to watch the award winning campaign for Brisbane by Brisbane Marketing, which started to change the way we thought about the city.

VIDEO. Click to watch a 15 second TV commercial produced for Sirromet Wine. Production cost for three commercials was just $15,000, proving that TV is not necessarily beyond reach - provided you're smart.

The Design Dividend

A postcard campaign for the Australian Institute of Architects, designed to raise awareness of the important role of design in creating more appealing and more functional urban spaces. The postcards, linked to a purpose built campaign website, highlighted the commercial and community value created through high quality design.

Top Ten Myths

A paper I authored for the Residential Development Council, honing in on a series of urban myths about residential development, and then busting them. Still one of my favourites. The myths, despite my attempt to bust them, still seem to flourish however.

Banananomics

A gimmicky but highly effective campaign I created to get housing affordability onto the national political agenda, using a rubber banana. Every politician was sent one of these with the message about then Cyclone Larry, which wiped out two thirds of Australia's banana crop. Reduce supply and prices will rise, with bananas as it is with land. We got their attention and the penny started to drop...

Residential Developer Magazine

A newsstand magazine I created for the Residential Development Council, to carry an advocacy message to a wide national audience beyond membership, and to be commercially viable. Subscriptions, sales and advertising all helped make this advocacy initiative a profit centre - something that almost never happens. I was publisher, editor, chief writer, photographer and ad sales manager in one, and the mag was produced as a part time component to my day job, largely thanks to a proficient EA.

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

An omnibus research paper I authored in the lead up to the 2007 Federal Election. This drew on all sources of industry knowledge on the subject of housing affordability and broke the rule of 'not acknowledging your competitors' (as in other industry groups). It proved that a collective industry wide view has more impact. The lesson seems to have been quickly forgotten.

Trail Bike Adventure Magazine

I got to call this work. I was founding editor of this recreational off road motorcycle magazine, published by Morrison Media. I was actually editor, chief photographer, feature writer and more. The magazine was published bi-monthly and quickly rose to a premium market position within its category. Plus I got to try out all the latest toys and bikes, and travel the country doing so. Happy days.

Beyond Reach

A study for the Residential Development Council which examined the relationship between house prices and rents, and the incomes of people on working wages. The themes explored in this work have been frequently repeated since but sadly the public policy response remains one of ambiguity.

Sir Romet

The white cat became a campaign centrepoint for Sirromet. A creative idea by ad agency Junior, we found multiple brand extension opportunities, not just the cat suit but also including shirts which cheekily invited people to 'get your paws on some.' The target audience were young and into fun, which is how we tried to align the brand.

Reasons to be Fearful.

A detailed study into the drivers of housing affordability. The research, prepared by Urbis, formed the basis of an aggressive nation wide advocacy campaign. The Ned Kelly graphic was a concept I briefed and then had to push strongly for because senior industry leaders at the time thought it too aggressive. In retrospect, it wasn't hard enough.

Sirromet Campaign

This campaign sought to take the p**s out of wine snobs by creating a more approachable and irreverent approach to this Queensland wine brand. Wine snobs were never going to support this brand at the time so we went for the non snob segment - and there are plenty of them - who just like to enjoy a quality wine without all the BS. The message was clear: attention to detail and an eye for quality did not mean you had to take yourself too seriously. Just enjoy.

Very PC

The campaign that launched Cockram (then Hooker Cockram) in Queensland. I chose white boots to represent the laboratory specialisation of the firm, contrasted with typical muddy builder boots, to promote the idea that Cockram were a very different type of builder. 'PC' in this case stood for 'physical containment' - a high tech type of laboratory that Cockram specialised in. Hence the white boots and double en trend.

Life Style Wine

A highly successful magazine format communication platform for Sirromet Wine - to promote the wine product, its wine club, restaurant and special events. Once again, an exemplar of how judicious use of the print medium can work for business provided you also know how to produce the thing efficiently, without a team of sub consultants, and to great effect.

Central City Strategy

An early initiative for the Property Council, this was one of a series of reports deisgn to highlight strategic options for the City of Brisbane, many of which are now coming to fruition. This report called for more cross river crossings, activation of the 'north bank' area and other initiatives which years later were adopted in public policy. We're still talking about some of the things identified in this report from circa 2000.

McGuires Hotels

A new website for McGuires Hotels, which aimed to create a family of sites for the 12 hotels at the time, extending to e-commerce and social media platforms for customer loyalty and special event marketing. They're still using some of the photos I took but the commerce platform for pubs and entertainment has changed rapidly to social media since then.

Land Supply Crisis

A report I prepared for the Residential Development Council based on research by Macroplan outlining how artificial land shortages will impact on housing markets. This is a subject that still rates mentions by industry leaders but which is still met largely by silence from policy makers. Go figure.

Guide to PC Labs

An initiative which took a powerpoint presentation by Cockram and turned it into a mini book dealing with the complexity of physical containment laboratories. The initiative was instrumental in cementing Cockram Construction's leading national position as the authority on this type of specialist construction project. This little book is to me a text book on why sharing your business IP is a smart thing to do.

Affordablehome website

A national campaign website designed expressly to collect all sources of information on the issue of housing affordability and to disperse this to the wider community. It was a key plank to the 2007 advocacy campaign on housing that preceded the Federal Election. Traffic volumes grew strongly, off the back of everything from online polls to talk back radio references.

Jigsaw

A simple but highly effective series of direct mail pieces which sought to fill in missing pieces of information about Cockram, using the jigsaw (real ones) as the central idea. "Best bit of marketing ever" was one client comment. We even ran contests for who could assemble the jigsaw in record time. Why anyone would produce a one off brochure these days when so many more inventive ideas can be pursued, leaves me cold.

Offsite newsletter

A simple newsletter (print) but an innovation at the time for Cockram Construction. The print medium, if execution is done correctly, can be a powerful vehicle for corporate communication and reputation building. Despite some early reservations, the vehicle continues to prove its worth. A lesson - in my mind at least - that the print medium has enduring value.

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Land Supply Crisis

A report I prepared for the Residential Development Council based on research by Macroplan outlining how artificial land shortages will impact on housing markets. This is a subject that still rates mentions by industry leaders but which is still met largely by silence from policy makers. Go figure.