The Contenders

We don't often get lost for words here at The Contenders, but when we heard we'd won a Good Design Australia award for our work with Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre we were blown away. At the end of the day we couldn't do this work without brave, open and incredible clients and so this award is as much for them as it is for us. Congratulations Elizabeth Kozmevski, Kaitlyn Kirkwood and team, we can't wait to see what the future holds. With its roots dating back to 1958, the Australian Good Design Awards is the country’s most prestigious international accolade for design and innovation. This year’s theme, ‘The Design Effect’ underscored the crucial role design plays in shaping better products, services, spaces, and experiences while driving the transition to a more sustainable, less carbon-intensive future.   The Jury commented: 'Among the standout winners was Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre, which received a prestigious Good Design Award Winner Accolade in the Communication Design category for exceptional design and innovation. The Jury would like to commend the team behind the brand project for their impressive work and design with a deep meaning and purpose for Nyaal Banyul, leading with story of country and reflecting the energy of Geelong. 'The Jury were particularly impressed by the playful and bold symbology and how the brand identity incorporates vibrant colours and dynamic patterns inspired by the natural landscapes of Victoria, with different visual elements paying homage to the region's Indigenous heritage. The brand mark that's influenced by the hills and layers of Country – brilliantly symbolises enlightenment and perspective, encouraging a deeper appreciation and renewed viewpoint.' To read more about this project visit https://lnkd.in/gSKPRqat   The 2024 Awards highlighted excellence across 12 Design Disciplines, covering more than 32 Categories. This year's entries were rigorously evaluated by more than 80 distinguished Jurors from around the globe, including designers, engineers, architects and industry leaders. Sometimes there are projects that come along and stay a part of you and this is one of them. #gooddesignawards #gooddesignawardsaustralia #designawards #geelong #events #branding #brand #design

An interesting article by Kantar about the ways in which brands can navigate an increasingly volatile world... https://lnkd.in/gq5KuJ7d

In this month's LinkedIn article Phil Curlis-Gibson explores the world of private label... #privatelabel #retail #marketing #brand #brandstrategy

In this month's EDM, Joe Rogers talks about the stories we share and how they relate to effective brand strategy. 'Good brand strategy is ultimately putting information in a formation that creates a competitive advantage. The advantage comes from how simple you can make it so that it forms the basis of enduring differentiation. Like a movie pitch, if you can’t explain the plot in a sentence you haven’t really explained a brand, you have just structured some information.' To read more visit: https://lnkd.in/gUvxd5Vm

We had a packed house to listen to the ever-insightful Joel McGuinness talk to Joe Rogers about marketing and brand in arts and cultural institutions. How does he respond to Joe's question? You can hear Joel respond by visiting: https://lnkd.in/gwHXRKii

We are excited to share that we have been awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze in this year's Transform magazine awards! For the past five years, the Transform Awards has recognised the very best of rebranding and brand development throughout the Australia-New Zealand region. As always, these wins are as much about our incredible clients as they are about us. This year we were awarded: GOLD Best rebrand of a digital property – Andisor SILVER Best visual identity from the travel and tourism sector – Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre BRONZE Best creative strategy – Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre Congratulations to everyone on The Contenders' teams who were part of this work and, most importantly, congratulations to our clients for all their hard work, and thank you for entrusting your brand with us. Elizabeth Kozmevski Vandana Chaudhry

We are excited to welcome Maddy Chambers to The Contenders' team as Senior Brand Strategist. Proudly from Ballarat, Maddy made the move to the big smoke five years ago to study a Masters in Applied Psychology, and to begin a career in strategy. This background has shaped her behavioural science-led approach to problem-solving. Maddy is passionate about translating academic rigour (and jargon) into something practical, bridging the gap between research and practice. Some quirky facts about Maddy: - She finds deep meaning in the mundane, seeing small talk as an art form. - She advocates for the misunderstood, including her two stinky but loveable ferrets. - She is a paradox (a generous term for a hypocrite), believing in both scientific inquiry and astrology. - Her childhood nickname was 'Wiggles' because she was always dancing...and still is. Join us in welcoming Maddie to the team! We can't wait to start sharing her talents.

In this month's thoughts Vanig Krikorian shares an insightful perspective on greenwashing...in all its many facets. #sustainability #green #greenwashing #marketing #brand #branding #communications #environment #climatechange #climatecrisis

We've been amazed by the response to this upcoming webinar! There are a couple of spots left if anyone wants to grab them. You can register for this insightful and useful conversation between Joel McGuinness and Joe Rogers at the link below. #arts #artsandculture #libraries #artsmarketing #marketing #cmo #governmentmarketing #government

We are incredibly excited to be part of this partnership of independent agencies Communicado Content Hustlers