PORTFOLIO OF CAPABILITIES
WHO WE ARE Cole Lawson Communications Group is an integrated agency consisting of Cole Lawson Communications and Ruby6. As a group, our capabilities span the full suite of corporate communications, media relations, issues and crisis management, marketing, branding, design and digital marketing.
HOW WE WORK An integrated, full-service agency should know and understand your business. It should employ consultants who are more than just expert strategists, creatives and storytellers. The best consultants understand that every activity, whether it involves traditional publicity, marketing, digital activities or a fully integrated service, should be executed for a clear reason, with your business goals top-of-mind. We’ve built our businesses around this philosophy.
Cole Lawson is a business-class public relations firm, boasting award-winning corporate communications for medium and large businesses and selected not-for-profits in Australia and the Asia Pacific region. Since 2008, Cole Lawson has been helping boards, CEOs and CMOs to communicate effectively through periods of growth, change, challenge and opportunity. Our core service areas are communication strategy, media relations and training, marketing communications, and reputational risk management. We strive to help our clients have meaningful, powerful conversations with the right people, at the right time, using the right channels. As former journalists, brand managers, corporate communicators and government executives, our expert team members bring senior experience and an in-depth understanding of the commercial value of public relations to your organisation.
Ruby6 is a marketing, branding, design, digital and integrated communications agency with more than 12 years of creative service, specialising in premium brands across multiple sectors. Our team of industry-leading strategists, designers, developers and storytellers are passionate about elevating our clients to the next level of engagement and commercial success. We pride ourselves in taking a futurist approach in foreseeing incoming industry and consumer trends in an ever-changing marketing and tech landscape to seize opportunities for our clients. We understand how important it is to find fresh, individual solutions for our clients, because there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach in business. Apart from our unique, forward-looking designs and technical nous, our clients love that we deliver projects quickly and efficiently, while offering exceptional value for money.
OUR SUITE OF SERVICES
COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY
MEDIA RELATIONS
ISSUES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT
WEBSITES
MARKETING
DESIGN
BRANDING
DIGITAL
SOCIAL
INDUSTRY AWARDS
OUR SUCCESS STORIES
OUR PROCESS
STAGE
1
COMMUNICATION GOALS AND AUDIENCES Whose awareness, attitudes and behaviour do we need to influence to achieve your business goals?
STAGE
2
STRATEGIES AND MESSAGES
STAGE
3
TACTICS
CREATING A BRAND THAT BUILDS VALUE Client brief
Our work
Outcomes
In 2008, ERM Power asked for our help to build the company’s corporate image, communication processes and media relationships. The work was needed to support the company’s entry into the competitive energy retailing market, and to maximise value from possible future capital-raising activities.
Cole Lawson undertook a comprehensive communications audit for ERM, delivering a detailed PR strategy, action plan and marketing communication budget. ERM then engaged Cole Lawson to implement the plan, which included a full rebrand, selection and management of creative agencies, development of customer communications, media relations and corporate publications.
ERM grew from a fledgling startup to a major player on the Australian energy retail scene. Its ASX listing was oversubscribed and commended by The Australian Financial Review for offering “the clearest prospectus of 2010”. In 2019 the company was acquired by energy giant Shell for $617 million.
MAINTAINING GLOBAL MARKET LEADERSHIP
Air BP approached Cole Lawson
Cole Lawson developed and
leadership position in the aviation
in aviation lubricants throughout leader and help to reach and international press coverage in aviation and technical publications
LAUNCHING A GLOBAL BRAND INTO THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET Client brief
Our work
Outcomes
Global fuel operator Puma Energy entered the Australian market in 2013 by acquiring three well-known Australian petroleum businesses. The company turned to Cole Lawson to work with its global communications team to manage the communications for its Australian launch.
Cole Lawson conducted a comprehensive communication risk analysis and advised our client on potential issues and strategies to consider prior to the announcement. We developed a launch strategy that considered a range of stakeholders, including employees, government and regulators, customers and the media. Cole Lawson handled the media announcement, and prepared FAQ documents and marketing collateral to support internal and external communications.
Puma Energy’s entry into Australia was welcomed by opinion leaders and received positive and factual coverage in both national and international media. Puma Energy is now the largest independent fuel retailer in the country and Cole Lawson continues to work with the company to support the business as it grows and expands its capabilities.
Courier Mail – Business – 23 January 2013
Gold Coast Bulletin – 23 January 2013
BRINGING AN INNOVATIVE BUILDING PRODUCT TO CUSTOMERS
we were able to showcase the
BPN
Architecture and Design
PROMOTING INNOVATION AND THOUGHT-LEADERSHIP Client brief
Our work
Outcomes
Energy entrepreneur and philanthropist Trevor St Baker has employed Cole Lawson since 2008 to promote his fund’s portfolio of disruptive clean energy products and to position Mr St Baker as a leading global thinker on the future of energy.
Cole Lawson promoted the upgrade and expansion of electric vehicle charging innovator Tritium’s Brisbane factory, leveraging a visit by the Lord Mayor to help the company attract new employees. Most recently Cole Lawson managed the launch event, including media relations, for the opening of Evie Networks’ first ultra-fast electric vehicle charging station in Queensland, securing Australia-wide coverage including The Australian and Nine News. We have also promoted Mr St Baker personally, facilitating an 800-word opinion piece in The Australian to coincide with a conference in Washington, and achieving coverage for his philanthropy in the Brisbane Times for a $750,000 donation to CEO Sleepout.
Mr St Baker is now arguably the most well-known energy innovator in Australia and is regularly sought for his insight on energy matters by the media and business and political leaders. The St Baker Energy Innovation Fund is synonymous in Australia with clean energy innovation.
BRAN D • DESIGN • DIGITAL • MARKETING
BRANDING We create the entire look and feel of your brand, including: • Naming • Logo • Visual elements • Typography • Colour palette • Imagery and stylisation • Brand personality
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
Conceptual collateral examples are also created to allow you to easily visualise how your new brand will look in context. Collateral examples include first-round deliverables, such as: • Business cards • Brochure covers • Website mock-ups
DESIGN When it comes to graphic design for marketing material, our team takes pride in being your brand custodians. We ensure every touch point is seamless, reflecting your branding brief, while keeping the overall look and feel engaging and memorable.
WEBSITES We know there’s no blanket approach when it comes to producing quality digital work. Each individual project is custom designed and built.
AFT ER
• Competitor and industry research • Planning and management • Overall strategy development • Content scheduling and monthly content plan • Conceptual creative design • Content copy creation • Strategic grid formula • Analytics and data reporting
BEFOR E
SOCIAL MEDIA
DIGITAL MARKETING • Search engine marketing / paid search campaign management • Search engine optimisation • Social media ads management • Display retargeting • Landing page design and development • Website conversation data analysis • Chatbots marketing • Viral marketing
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Margaret Lawson
Angela Mogridge
Patrick MacDonald
Suzanne Taylor
Managing Director
Director
Senior Account Manager
Senior Consultant
Margaret has almost two decades’ experience in media relations and corporate communications, including several years as a media manager for Ergon Energy, QUT, and as a media adviser to a Member of Parliament in a previous Federal Government. During her five years in marketing and communications at QUT, Margaret specialised in promoting scientific and health research in the media.
Angela’s passion for business has been the driving force behind a career that has seen her embark on a range of ventures across a variety of industries.
Patrick holds more than 13 years’ experience in television, marketing, public relations and the law. Throughout his career, he has been responsible for the full suite of traditional and digital communications across a range of clients in diverse and challenging sectors, including the successful management of his own agency.
Suzanne is a public relations and integrated communications specialist, with global expertise spanning corporate, consumer, public affairs and various sectors on national, regional and global campaigns.
Margaret’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Business (Communication), a Graduate Diploma of Arts (Journalism), and a Master of Science and Technology (Aviation), specialising in risk management. She has worked as a journalist at newspapers in Australia and the United States, and has written for publications including Aviator Magazine, The Courier-Mail, The Charlotte Observer, Australasian Science and Australian Journalism Review. Margaret is a Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) and has more than a dozen PRIA Golden Target Awards for excellence in public relations.
As founder and director of Ruby6, Angela is focused on providing strategic, creative, results-oriented solutions for national and international clients that have included Tiger Air, Origin Energy, Aurizon, QUT, Style Magazines and Coles Group. Prior to the formation of Ruby6 in 2007, Angela succeeded in establishing a variety of online tech startups. She founded and directed search engine portal Ondi.com, e-commerce site Formula Warehouse and UK-based daily deals website Go Wild Deals, which won eCommerce Business of the Year against the likes of Amazon and Tesco.
Prior to this, he was the National Marketing Manager for Spirit Hotels, the hotel division of Coles Pty Ltd. Here he was independently recognised for the success of his campaigns by being named as a leader of the Australia’s (and Queensland’s) In-House PR Team of the Year 2015 as judged by the PRIA, as well as Queensland’s Best Marketed Hotel, as judged by the Queensland Hotels Association. He has also won the PRIA’s highest honours at state and national levels for issues and crisis management, and in 2012, was named Emerging PR Professional of the Year. Patrick is an admitted lawyer, holding degrees in Journalism and Law from the University of Queensland, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice Skills and Ethics from Griffith University. He holds several years’ experience as a television presenter and freelance journalist including two years with Network Ten.
With experience in digital, social, content marketing, issues and crisis management, and corporate responsibility, she is recognised for developing and implementing creative, multi-channel strategies to change audience knowledge, attitudes and behaviours by rejuvenating storytelling and driving digital transformation. Suzanne has lectured in PR at the University of Queensland, prior to assuming senior roles at BCW Global and Eunoia Communications Limited in London. She is a strategic thinker and problem solver with a thirst for innovative business and communications solutions, with strong analytical skills and a sharp eye for detail.
RATES AND FEE MODELS Cole Lawson Group offers various engagement models that can be tailored to your needs. Retainers This type of engagement gives clients complete flexibility to start or stop work at any time. Our hourly rates range from $180 (ex GST) to $250 (ex GST) per hour, depending on the seniority of the staff member who performs each task. Work is billed in 15 minute increments, and you are provided with a detailed report at the end of each billing month.
Where your project involves a discrete set of tasks, we will scope the project and provide you with a fixed-fee quotation for the delivery of those activities. When Cole Lawson quotes on a project basis, our fees are calculated at a reduced rate between $170 (ex GST) to $200 (ex GST) per hour, depending on project size and complexity.
After we have delivered work for a client on a project or hourly basis, we may recommend a monthly retainer package to provide you with the best outcomes and value on an ongoing basis. Retainers can be calculated in two ways: 1. We offer you a fixed, monthly fee to deliver recurring activities. An example of monthly retainer activities could be: a monthly newsletter, two media announcements and daily social media maintenance. 2. We also offer retainers that specify a set number of consulting hours each month. Our most common retainer packages offer clients 24 - 50 hours per month, which can be invested on any activity. Retainer rates are generally 10% to 30% cheaper than other arrangements, depending on the length of the engagement.
Cole Lawson Communications Group Cole Lawson Communications | Ruby6 Level 3, 172 Robertson Street, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006 P +61 (7) 3221 2220 | E info@colelawson.com.au colelawson.com.au | ruby6.com.au