brand STRATEGY

and custodianship 

THE BUSINESS OF BRANDS

In branding, perception is reality. The most successful brands don’t just compete; they own a position in the minds and more importantly in the hearts of their audience.

My experience has been built on this principle of “relationship” - and being the first, the leader, or the category creator - that embeds this position with your audiences.

Whether repositioning a brand, launching a disruptive idea, or a continuous practise of delivering clear marketing messages, I use several methods for creating enduring and impactful brand strategy and choose the appropriate process based on the business objectives.

My vision for brands is clear: find truth within the DNA, sharpen it, and own it relentlessly.

In a busy marketplace competing for sales, the most powerful position is being connected to your audience and meeting them where they are at.

SWINBURNE:
AN “education”
in REPOSITIONING

• 8% year-on-year increase in applications

• 64% surge in high-achieveing students

• Swinburne became the fastest-growing university in Australia for two years.

Swinburne University needed a bold brand refresh to stand out in an increasingly competitive higher education landscape.

  • The challenge: Differentiate Swinburne and drive student recruitment in a market saturated with traditional university messaging.

  • Develop and execute a future-focused brand repositioning to increase awareness, engagement, and student applications.

  • Ensure the campaign resonated with Swinburne’s progressive, digital-first, and career-driven audience.

Actions taken:

  • Led the creation of ‘Think Forward’—a fully integrated, insight-driven brand and recruitment strategy.

  • Crafted a compelling brand narrative positioning Swinburne as the university for future-focused learners.

  • Executed a multi-channel strategy across digital, social, OOH, and traditional media to maximise reach and engagement.

  • Leveraged data and behavioral targeting to optimise messaging and drive conversions.

Results:

  • 8% year-on-year increase in applications, exceeding industry benchmarks.

  • 64% surge in UG applicants with 70+ ATAR scores – attracting high-achieving students

  • 14% growth in unique website visitors – strengthening digital engagement.

  • 37% increase in digital ad CTR – ensuring higher engagement and conversion.

  • Gold & Bronze at the CASE Awards, recognizing excellence in education marketing.

  • Swinburne became the fastest-growing university in Australia for two years.

By aligning brand storytelling with targeted recruitment marketing, Think Forward set a new benchmark for education campaigns, cementing Swinburne’s position as an innovation-driven institution.

DOTTI: FROM not TO ‘HOT’

  • From losses to positive sales results after just 18 months.

  • TOTAL SALES WERE UP 38%.

  • Same store sales up an average of 18.4% for no more advertising spend than previous years.

The Just Group needed to arrest a decline in sales, and save fashion brand Dotti, a recent acquisition. The challenge was to update Dotti’s brand, attract a new generation audience, and drive sales growth in a competitive retail landscape. The brand needed a complete overhaul: A new position and visual identity, store fit outs, a strong marketing campaign, and a compelling reason for consumers to re-engage.

Strategic Actions:

  • Creative Code: we developed Dotti’s relaunch around three key principles that defined the brand’s DNA:

    1. Fast & First – Always ahead of trends, delivering fashion before competitors.

    2. On Trend with a Signature Twist – Not just following trends but giving them a distinct Dotti flair.

    3. Confident, Not Arrogant – A bold but accessible fashion identity that felt effortless.

  • Rebranding & Identity: A complete refresh of Dotti’s brand identity, including logo, store fit-out & experience to reflect the new brand aesthetic and an elevated customer experience that set the brand apart from competitors.

  • Ambassador Strategy: UK “it girl” Peaches Geldof was selected as relaunch ambassador. Her edgy, fashion-forward reputation provided instant credibility and media attention.

  • Marketing & PR: our high-impact marketing campaign that worked across brand, seasonal launches and retail messaging and translated to pinot of purchase, in-store promotions.

  • High production values: mimicking luxury brands, creating differentiation and aspirational messaging we created virality, engagement and foot traffic that translated to sales.

“Thanks to Venus we set a new standard of Brand excellence.”

Jason Murray. Managing Director, The Just group

Outcomes:

  • Brand awareness skyrocketed, driven by Peaches Geldof’s involvement and widespread media coverage.

  • Foot traffic to Dotti stores grew, proving that the brand refresh resonated with consumers

  • Transformational results and Dotti solidified its position as a leader in young women’s fashion, setting the stage for continued success

  • Sales surged, with revenue increasing significantly post-relaunch.