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with creativity that’s ahead of the curve

In an ever-changing world, businesses need a creative agency that’s ahead of the curve. Messy Collective is the next-generation agency that innovates as fast as your business evolves.

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Collaborating Inside+Out

At Messy Collective, we do things differently. Because we understand that now more than ever businesses need an agency that’s not limited by traditional agency models or pigeonholed by a single specialisation.

We call this our Inside+Out Partnering Services™

Inside

Supporting your people, enhancing your product

Out

Engaging your audience, creating positive experiences

Your Business Messy Collective

Integrated, Digital, Communications, Brand and Strategy

Inside

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Supporting your people, enhancing your product

Out

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Engaging your audience, creating positive experiences

Your Business

Messy Collective

Integrated, Digital, Communications, Brand and Strategy

Our diverse team of experts work closely with you to achieve your objectives and solve your challenges, providing solutions that support both the internal operations of your business and how your brand comes to life through external communications. By becoming an extension of your team, we’re able to unlock new and exciting potential.

Get in touch to find out how we can work with you.

Our Expertise

We have all the tools in-house to optimise your brand, your products and your people, and ensure your customers get exactly what they need and want.

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Brand & Strategy

Elevate your brand

We think ahead of the curve, realising new potential for your brand across every channel to set you apart.

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Position your brand to thrive with intelligent and insight-driven strategy. Our services span quantitative and qualitative research, audience definition, competitor analysis, brand positioning, brand architecture, brand messaging, and brand guidelines.

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We capture the information you need to understand your brand, your people, and your audience, and achieve your goals. Our team facilitates workshops in brand building, messaging, and employee and organisational culture, as well as focus groups and interviews. Flexible delivery methods available onsite, offsite or online.

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We’re passionate about exceptional design; we channel this passion into all that we do, creating meaningful and memorable brands. From visual identity to design systems and image libraries, we’ve got your brand design needs covered.

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Strategy

Position your brand to thrive with intelligent and insight-driven strategy. Our services span quantitative and qualitative research, audience definition, competitor analysis, brand positioning, brand architecture, brand messaging, and brand guidelines.

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Workshops

We capture the information you need to understand your brand, your people, and your audience, and achieve your goals. Our team facilitates workshops in brand building, messaging, and employee and organisational culture, as well as focus groups and interviews. Flexible delivery methods available onsite, offsite or online.

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Design

We’re passionate about exceptional design; we channel this passion into all that we do, creating meaningful and memorable brands. From visual identity to design systems and image libraries, we’ve got your brand design needs covered.

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Communications

Communicate with purpose

We identify, create and deliver the right message and content you need to emotionally connect with your audience, drive action, and deliver results.

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Achieve your communications and marketing goals with a clear and considered strategy that addresses your messaging challenges and helps you overcome them. We’re experts in brand messaging strategy, content strategy, social media strategy, tone of voice.

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Engage your audience with quality copy and content that aligns to your goals. Whatever the channel, whatever the content type, we can deliver the goods, with experience across websites, print, video, social, outdoor, display, landing pages, and email.

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We plan, promote, amplify, and optimise content across relevant channels to get your message in front of the right people and achieve your campaign and business goals.

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Strategy

Achieve your communications and marketing goals with a clear and considered strategy that addresses your messaging challenges and helps you overcome them. We’re experts in brand messaging strategy, content strategy, social media strategy, tone of voice.

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Creative

Engage your audience with quality copy and content that aligns to your goals. Whatever the channel, whatever the content type, we can deliver the goods, with experience across websites, print, video, social, outdoor, display, landing pages, and email.

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Rollout

We plan, promote, amplify, and optimise content across relevant channels to get your message in front of the right people and achieve your campaign and business goals.

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Digital

Create better experiences

Technical expertise underpinned by forward-thinking creativity means we deliver exciting and innovative digital solutions that get results.

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The best digital experiences are those that put the user first. We offer user research, user experience (UX), information architecture (IA), wireframing, and prototyping services to to achieve that goal for your business.

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Extensive research methods to understand, test, refine and optimise websites, products and digital touchpoints. These include website discovery sessions, user testing, persona building, accessibility testing and compliance, and competitor analysis.

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We design and develop user-friendly websites for any platform that are on-brand, look great, and are responsive and optimised for all devices.

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Experience

The best digital experiences are those that put the user first. We offer user research, user experience (UX), information architecture (IA), wireframing, and prototyping services to to achieve that goal for your business.

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Discovery

Extensive research methods to understand, test, refine and optimise websites, products and digital touchpoints. These include website discovery sessions, user testing, persona building, accessibility testing and compliance, and competitor analysis.

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Design

We design and develop user-friendly websites for any platform that are on-brand, look great, and are responsive and optimised for all devices.

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Our Work

At Messy Collective, we work closely with our clients to deliver inspired solutions that achieve exceptional results. Here’s just a few of our most recent projects.

Get in touch to see our full credentials presentation.

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Look Deeper

Integrated Campaign

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eSafety Commissioner

Video Campaign

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MyHealth1st

Brand & Digital Solutions

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Australian Government Department of Home Affairs' Maritime Security Awareness Training Module UX design example by Messy Collective

Department of Home Affairs

Security Awareness Portal

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Lowan

Packaging Refresh

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Legal Aid NSW

‘It’s What We Stand For’ Campaign

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Australian Chiropractors Association

Brand Identity and Website

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Gus' Place

Brand Identity

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Transport for NSW

Animated Explainer Video

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Droppoint

Brand & Product Solutions

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Companies love getting Messy

Messy Collective are both creative and commercially savvy, making them the ideal partner for Mars Wrigley. I can always trust that they’ll exceed our expectations.

Director, Corporate Affairs
Mars Wrigley

Messy provided their expertise at short notice and helped optimise our Lowan packaging, hitting tight timelines and offering great service.

Head of Marketing (Breakfast)
Greens General Foods

We have a truly successful partnership with Messy Collective. They intimately understood our brief, constraints and aspirations. Their adaptability, expertise and creativity is second to none and transformed our vision into reality.

Communications Manager, Executive
Legal Aid NSW

There’s not a single day working with Messy Collective that I question why I’m working with them… they are calm, professional and knock everything out of the park.

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SourseAI

Who we work with

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Brand & Strategy

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Adaptive Business Initiative Resources

Empowering teams with effective strategies to improve, adapt and deliver.

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Why adaptability beats specialisation

Why adaptability beats specialisation

From Jason Yagan,  Founder and Creative Director

As a young creative, I was often told that I had to choose a specialisation in order to get ahead in the industry. Perhaps that would have made for an easier career path, but as someone always looking to improve and learn, I was more interested in exploring fresh ideas to uncover new potential. When most people were zigging, I wanted to zag my way to solve the problem.

Because I didn’t quite fit the typical creative mould, I decided to start my own agency some 15 years ago. Little did I know the amount of change I would see in the industry, and the world, in the years that followed.

The age of ‘digital transformation’ came and went, and the way we engage with technology now is changing daily as is the way we communicate and interact. Furthermore, the things that inspire and motivate humans to act continues to evolve.

This evolution has only been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing businesses and brands across the world to adapt at unprecedented speed, ours included. 

Over the last few months, we’ve all had to face obstacles none of us could have predicted. Not only have we had to change where we work, but we’ve also had to adapt the way we work, how we communicate and what we say. It’s undoubtedly one of the most challenging periods I’ve faced as a business owner since opening Messy’s doors. 

But it’s also been heartening. Because it’s confirmed how advantageous our agency’s model is. It’s almost as though we were designed specifically to support businesses at times such as these. Our agency was built to succeed in rapid change. Our size, capability and ways of working have given us a track record of delivering innovative solutions by solving problems from all angles. And our buoyancy during the last few months has been less about what we are, and more about what we are not.

We’re not limited by traditional thinking. We’re not reliant on outsourcing expertise. We don’t operate in huge, siloed teams. This new type of agency we’ve created is ideal for this time because it’s all about efficiency, agility and quality. And this approach is something that businesses in many different industries should be looking to adopt now.

Because in today’s environment, brands can’t rest on their laurels or stick to the same old plan. It’s just not effective. It’s time to evolve and adapt or get left behind. And here’s where to start:

1. Embrace multidisciplinary teams and cross-team collaboration

A siloed approach may appear to be working for you, but is it achieving the best outcomes for your business? When departments are siloed, it generally decreases efficiency by slowing down processes and creating communication barriers. Projects simply take longer when multiple stakeholders in each division are involved and that immediate cross-communication isn’t there.

Creating multidisciplinary teams within your business and partnering with agencies who offer this allows you to tap into broader knowledge, expertise and resources that you previously would not have access to. The end result is better outcomes through collective collaboration – people from different teams – whether that’s internally or externally – working closely together to achieve a common goal.

Multidisciplinary teams allow you to tap into broader knowledge, expertise and resources that you previously would not have access to.

2. Agility and flexibility leads to better outcomes 

If the last few months have taught us anything, it’s that businesses that pivot quickly to overcome challenges are the ones most likely to come out on top. Now more than ever businesses need to be ready and able to do this going forward. Because 2020 has turned everything on its head. Attitudes have changed, and they’ll continue to do so for the foreseeable future as the world continues to adjust and we try to find the new norm. 

While many business leaders acknowledge that a more adaptable, flexible approach to working is valuable, it can be a struggle to effectively implement. This is why partnering with the right people is key. And for agencies, the scene is set to be more relevant than ever in supporting this agile way of working. That said, adaptability and multi-disciplinarian teams go against the traditional agency ‘franchise’ model, while specialist agencies simply cannot survive long in a state of flux. Businesses need to be looking for agencies and people that offer new ways of working.

For as Australia begins to reopen its doors and move forward, we must not forget that the world has changed. We must adapt to this, embracing innovative ways of working that allow greater efficiency while supporting the needs of people and business today. To find out more ways to adapt the way you work, check out our article on adapting your marketing plan.

Get in touch today to find out how Messy Collective can help your business.

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Agility in times of disruption

Agility in times of disruption

From the Messy Communications team

Business is never without its curveballs. Employee changes, team restructures, financial difficulties, new technologies, changing work methods. The list goes on. Because, like life, there are never any certainties. And during times of crisis and change, the unknown causes unease. As a result, our instincts will tell us to batten down the hatches, stop all unnecessary activity and stockpile our resources. Businesses often try to brace themselves for what’s to come, even without knowing what that might be. 

However, freezing like possums in headlights is not always the best approach in the face of adversity. In fact, it’s businesses that are quick to adapt that are most likely to survive and prosper. The last ten years, which have been defined by disruption, are proof of this. And we can apply the lessons learned from other sources of disruption to navigate any challenges you face now or in the future.

Lesson 1: Repurpose your business assets

If one part of your business is no longer working, consider the assets and attributes you have that may be of use in the current environment. This could be anything from skills that exist within your workforce to physical assets such as refrigeration units, transport infrastructure or manufacturing equipment. There are some great examples of this as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, from H&M manufacturing medical gowns to local breweries making hand sanitiser. 

But this is nothing new. Fujifilm famously diversified its business in the face of digital photography by recognising that their ability to suspend or encase active ingredients in a thin film to prevent oxidation could be applied to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics as well. It was this agility that enabled it to survive, where its main competitor Kodak, who doubled down on manufacturing and promoting their original product, did not. 

Not only does repurposing your attributes provide new revenue streams but it also fuels innovation within your business. It also makes for great PR stories and in challenging times, these positive initiatives can create a lot of goodwill towards your business.

Lesson 2: Consider new ways of keeping your brand relevant

When a crisis occurs that affects your business, it’s not uncommon for it to impact the way people see your brand. Therefore, rather than switching off, think about how you can adapt your brand proposition to better suit the times. 

That’s because a good brand provides a business with a north star to follow, ensuring constancy and familiarity to its target market. However, it should not limit the business, particularly if change is happening at a rapid pace.

Therefore, consider how your brand can be reinterpreted to meet the changing needs of your business and your customer while remaining “on-brand”.

An excellent example of this is how Omo/Persil reinterpreted their iconic “dirt is good” tagline to address a modern issue. Real, outdoor play was being replaced with structured afterschool activities and increased screentime. Rather than continue to communicate a reality that was no longer happening – an idealist world of outdoor play – the brand instead released a hard-hitting film set in a high-security prison to highlight an alarming statistic: high-security prisoners got more outdoor time than modern kids. Thus, their age-old brand idea “dirt is good” became “dirt is necessary” and went on to create an online program to encourage more parents to let their kids play freely outside – keeping their brand fresh and highly relevant.

Lesson 3: Adapt to your customers

When your customers’ lifestyle is severely impacted, how does your business adapt to their new needs? The answer is simple – put the customer needs first. But this is far from being a new approach, with many businesses throughout history having to continually rethink their entire model to meet the ever-changing expectations of customers fuelled by technology.

In the early 2000s, Domino’s Pizza was largely known for its inferior product and was losing market share. To combat this, they not only improved their product but invested in eCommerce. They worked to deeply understand the changing customer expectations and created a whole range of digital tools such as their “Pizza Tracker” to improve their service delivery. They then used this to differentiate their brand.

While some lifestyle changes brought about by crisis or disruption may be temporary, your customers will still want to be able to access your services. By adapting the way you deliver them, you can reach them and demonstrate your deep understanding of their needs. Beyond that, it could also expose your business to new customers and markets. 

This could be as simple as modifying your brand communications to recognise the reality of your customers or adapting your operations to better meet their needs. Either way, it’s important to remember that businesses that keep moving and are willing to adapt when faced with a crisis are the ones most likely to survive and thrive. 

Download our free Adaptive Business Initiative resources to access more valuable tips or get in touch today to find out how Messy Collective can help your business.

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Brands that found opportunity in challenging times

Brands that found opportunity in challenging times

From the Messy Communications team

While times of crisis or economic hardship can be tough on businesses, they can also be times when businesses can really flourish. Whether it be through a stroke of luck, a new opportunity or ingenious marketing, here are some brands that were able to capitalise on tough times in the past.

Groupon

The 2007-2008 GFC forced many consumers to cut back on discretionary spend. However, that did not mean they wanted to do without meals out, beauty treatments or experiences.

Enter Groupon, a deal a day website that provided great offers on non-essential services. It was during the recession that Groupon really took off and began their global expansion. It just so happened that their particular business model provided a much-needed avenue for small business to attract customers, as well as a way customers could still enjoy treats without breaking the bank.

What we can learn from this:

Just because people can’t have something doesn’t mean they don’t want it. While some businesses are naturally positioned to succeed in times of economic hardship, it doesn’t mean other business can’t apply this same philosophy. Therefore, it’s important for you to consider how you can adapt your business to deliver the goods and services people still want but can’t access.

Procter & Gamble

The Great Depression was tough on families; many often went without everyday essentials. However, Procter and Gamble, who at the time were predominantly focussed on the manufacture and sale of soap, came out of the Great Depression in a stronger position than they were before.

While soap is considered a mainstay item for most families, P&G still had to ensure it was their product customers were buying. To do this they started investing in new marketing avenues such as commercial radio. Famously, P&G created daily radio stories aimed at homemakers. This audience loved these ongoing sagas and regularly tuned in to follow along. By 1939, P&G was producing 21 of these “Soap Operas” and in 1950 they released their first television soap opera, The First Hundred Years.

What can we learn from this?

People love to be entertained, and the distraction is particularly welcomed when times are tough. More importantly, brands can’t just drop off the radar due to low demand. Brands who recognise the emotional needs of customers during times of uncertainty are more likely to win new, loyal fans in the process.

Uber

Lack of employment opportunities during the GFC left many people looking for new ways to earn. Coupled with advances in technology and social media, the sharing economy was born; allowing for people to use the assets and skills they had to make money at scale. Uber is a classic example of this, as is AirBnB and AirTasker.

This sense of independence also fuelled artisanal culture – i.e. the rise of microbreweries and distilleries, Etsy and farmers markets. While at first, these were the domain of millennial hipsters, as we enter this new decade these businesses have now become mainstream.

Download our free Adaptive Business Initiative resource to get more tips on improving marketing and boosting sales.

What can we learn from this?

When significant events happen there often comes a value shift in society. In the case of the GFC, people became aware of how much control big business had over everyday people. This shift in values has meant that people became open to taking an Uber over a taxi, booking an AirBnB over a hotel, and choosing a craft beer over the big brands. 

When facing a crisis, we only guess at some of the value shifts that will happen as a result. However, it’s important to keep our ear to the ground so we can react accordingly. Not only will this help your brand remain relevant but it could provide new opportunities for your brand to flourish. 

Get in touch to find out how Messy Collective can help you better connect with your customers.

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The world's changed. Your marketing should too.

The world's changed. Your marketing should too.

From the Messy Communications team

Right now, there’s no such thing as business as usual. Since COVID-19 sent the world into a spin, companies have been forced to reset the clock and figure out new ways to keep things ticking over and customers engaged. Because people’s needs and attitudes have changed, and so too have their behaviours. And the businesses that adapt best to this new environment are the ones likely to come out on top.

While every business needs to make the right decision for their unique situation and the industry they’re in, if you are able to maintain your marketing (even if it is scaled back) you should. But it’s important to be strategic to ensure you get the most out of your spend. Here are a few things to keep in mind when reviewing your plan for the coming months.

1. Take a look at your digital ad spend

During tough economic times, digital marketing is often one of the first things to get the cut. And a study released by IAB Australia on April 6 is proof of that, showing that 78% of brands reduced or paused digital ad investment in March as a result of COVID-19.

However, is pausing your ads the best decision? Not always, particularly if the data is showing there are fewer advertisers in the race. Because less competition generally means a decrease in CPC and CPM. If this is the case in your industry, it means you have greater opportunities to reach your target audience more often for the same (or less) amount than you were investing before. There exists a unique opportunity for you to set yourself apart from the crowd. So, if you have something valuable to say, it’s likely going to be more cost-efficient to say it now.

2. Be thoughtful in your messaging

While things are starting to reopen it is still an unpredictable time. People remain nervous and unsure about the future. Be sensitive to this fact when communicating with your audience, acknowledging the current challenges and being empathetic and authentic. Your brand personality matters now more than ever – and it has the potential to make you stand out while building and fostering loyalty. The key is to craft messages that reflect the times and provide value to people. Be sure to monitor the social channels and online communities too so you can stay across your audience’s attitudes and the things that are important to them. If you feel your planned messaging is going to miss the mark, change it! Don’t wait and hope for the best.

3. Focus more on connection

Sticking to the same old plan isn’t going to work. People’s priorities and attitudes aren’t what they were this time last year, and now’s not the time to push for sales, particularly given the challenging economic state. People are spending longer on social media and are craving interesting content while things slowly move forward – so give it to them. Deliver content that showcases your brand values and personality and work on building genuine connections with new and existing customers. You can then nurture these people via different channels and, when the time is right, push them towards conversion.

Giving your audience something that they want can go a long way in improving sentiment towards your brand, building trust and ensuring you stay front of mind now and in the future.

Download our free Adaptive Business Initiative resources to access more valuable tips to help your business thrive in an ever-changing world.

4. More top of funnel content

If your digital strategy has generally relied on bottom-of-the-funnel conversion ads, it may be time to reconsider that approach if you haven’t already. Redirect your efforts into top-of-funnel activity that can drive new traffic to your site such as articles, videos, white papers and other pieces of content.

Even if you put minimum budget into the promotion of these, having quality content on your website is beneficial. Not only does it add more people to the top of your funnel, it can improve your SEO value and boost your Google rankings so more people can find you online.

5. Email marketing

Have you been leaning heavily on PPC or paid social for traffic and conversions while email marketing has been pushed aside? Now’s the perfect time to give email marketing some love. It’s one of the most cost-effective ways to engage audiences, making it ideal if your marketing budget has been slashed. Build new journeys, try out different creative and content, explore audience segments and personalisation, test subject lines. Take everything you learn about your audience during this time and use it to your advantage into the future.

6. Embrace digital

New consumer habits are being formed as we speak. People’s behaviours are changing and so too are the channels being used to engage them. Right now, offline marketing isn’t an option for many. Trade shows, in-store activations and other similar activities are all off the table, while major events are paused along with the marketing opportunities that go with them. Furthermore, OOH advertising is far less attractive for most brands given social restrictions keeping people off the streets, public transport and major traffic routes. 

You must focus on people’s new habits and needs and connect with them using relevant and exciting digital experiences. This could be anything from implementing an online shop, live streaming business workshops, hosting product webinars, running virtual community forums, augmented reality, interactive content, virtual reality, gamification, long-form video and so much more. The opportunities are vast – don’t be afraid to try something new.

There’s no escaping it – coronavirus is impacting everyone. The good news is that with every new challenge comes a new opportunity. If you’re willing to step up, rethink your approach and adapt your marketing for these unprecedented times, your business can emerge on the other side stronger than ever.

Get in touch to find out how Messy Collective can help you make that happen.

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Why your technology brand needs a digital design system

Why your technology brand needs a digital design system

From the Messy Digital team

Want to know how the world’s best tech companies design their products? The secret is in the system.

AtlassianAirbnbMicrosoft, and Salesforce are just a few of the highly successful businesses using design systems to create products more efficiently and improve the customer experience.

A design system makes a massive difference in how efficiently new products can be made by simplifying the design and development process. In short, a design system is a living library of assets that product managers, marketing teams, developers, designers and the wider organisation can refer to when creating digital user interfaces and experiences.

It’s an intricate ecosystem of colours, text styles, layer styles, components, icons, grids, fonts and guidelines around how all of the digital assets should be used and work together. This, in turn, saves time and eliminates inconsistencies in your brand experience.

Build products more efficiently

Companies choose to invest in design systems because of the cost-saving benefits and increased speed to market. In-house or outsourced designers and developers become more efficient, as they no longer need to spend time recreating assets that are already in the design system.

The design system is housed in a design system manager – an online, interactive resource that the product team can access at all times. By having all the rules and behaviours clearly defined in a system, decisions are made faster, the design direction is clear, and a consistent end-user experience is achieved.

Improve the brand experience

A design system ensures a consistent user experience across not just your digital space, but all your brand’s touchpoints. A good design system helps ensure there are no hiccups that can deter your customers from purchasing and all interactions with the brand become intuitive and fluid.

For best results, the design system should extend beyond the digital space to create a truly consistent and integrated experience.

How do you create a design system?

Getting started is no easy task, but the initial effort is worth the reward in the long run. The first step is to test and audit all the brand and digital components of a product or business, this highlights where the inconsistencies lie and identifies the key components to standardise. Once the disparities are fixed, clear rules and guidelines are created around how the assets are used and importantly, how they work together as a whole system. Rules and guidelines will ensure a consistently higher quality of brand messaging, design and development.

The design system is a single source of truth which gives everyone a common understanding. It saves immense amounts of time on design and development and ensures a great customer experience. No matter the size of your business, a design system is worth the initial investment.

With your product and brand in mind, ask yourself these questions:

  • Are you happy with how efficiently products are launched?
  • Are your customers having a consistent experience across all touchpoints?
  • How much time and money could you be saving on design and development?

The answers could well be in a new digital design system!

Get in touch to find out how Messy Collective can help your business.

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The purpose and value of a strategy

The purpose and value of a strategy

From the Messy Communications team

What does a strategist do? Do I even need a strategy? What will a strategy tell me that I don’t already know about my business? These are just some of the questions business owners will often ask when considering working with an external strategist or agency. 

This article aims to answer a few of the most commonly asked questions, outlining what strategists do, why strategy matters, and how strategic expertise and experience can make all the difference in creating a valuable brand, product, or marketing campaign.

1. A strategy helps you overcome challenges

Frustratingly, not every business problem has an obvious solution. Fortunately, behind every problem, there’s a human truth waiting to be uncovered. And it’s a strategist’s role to uncover this. In fact, it’s what they do best. Drawing on extensive consumer and industry research, they’re able to dig past the surface to get to the core of the challenges your business is facing and provide clear steps for you to overcome them. Furthermore, once this nugget of information has been identified, your team has the key to unlock new potential and make more informed business decisions going forward across all touchpoints. 

Strategy in action

Online healthcare booking platform, MyHealth1st, required a fresh approach to reposition itself and stand out from its competitors in an already flooded healthcare market. Before commencing any brand identity work, the Messy team carried out extensive desk research and a strategy workshop. This helped us to uncover a key insight – that many patients had preconceived ideas about the healthcare industry; mainly that it was, ironically, an impersonal industry. 

There was an obvious gap in the Australian market for a meaningful, patient-centric experience that extended beyond practice listings and appointments. So, we worked closely with the MyHealth1st team to create a cohesive and humanised brand that challenged conventional medical ideas, adopted a patient-centric approach, and worked to overcome those preconceived ideas and provide people exactly what they wanted. You can see more here.

2. A strategy informs what you say and how you say it

Imagine writing a letter to someone you didn’t know and trying to convince them that your product or service is exactly what they need. It’d be almost impossible. Because marketing is only effective when the communication is valuable, relevant and relatable to your audience. Without this knowledge, you’re basically flying blind. 

Through in-depth brand and audience analysis and consumer research, a strategist helps to bring your target audience to life so you can truly understand who they are; their day-to-day routines, their attitudes, their fears and pain points, their shopping habits, how they travel, eat and exercise, their lifelong aspirations. Creating a detailed persona based on qualitative and quantitative research makes it far easier for you to visualise who you’re talking to and map out what to say and how to say it.

Strategy in action

In 2019, Legal Aid NSW asked Messy to create a campaign that encouraged interdepartmental communication while promoting the value and importance of Legal Aid services to the general public. Before anything else, we focussed on gaining a deep understanding of their main target audience, Legal Aid employees. This involved hours interviewing them and researching attitudes across the industry, as well as facilitating a series of focus groups. In doing so, we were able to uncover key insights on what motivates them and deliver an engaging campaign that resonated with their personal values. You can view the ‘It’s What We Stand For’ campaign here. 

3. A strategy helps you to discover and define your ‘reason for existence’

A good strategist can help you and your team better understand your brand and business, working with you to uncover and articulate the values you stand for, your purpose, and your long-term vision – why you exist as a business and what it is you’re striving to achieve. This is invaluable to any organisation.

Download The Ultimate Sense Check for Your Business to learn more.

Having this clearly laid out not only helps to unify your team, but it also promotes greater engagement in employees by giving them a clearer understanding of how they’re contributing. Furthermore, these values are used to guide everything you deliver going forward, from your brand personality and tone of voice to your digital design, product design, campaign messaging, and more. 

4. A strategy is essential to brand building

As relevant as some features or benefits may be to your product, if they aren’t truly unique then adopting a product-led marketing strategy is essentially futile. In categories where this is the case, audiences will find it difficult to choose between products because of their perceived similarities. This is when brand building comes into play; it creates unique positioning in the hearts and minds of your audience. And the first step to ensuring this is done properly is a solid brand strategy. 

So, as you can see strategy doesn’t fit into a neat little box, nor should it be a nice-to-have add-on. In fact, it should form the basis of all areas of your business – brand, product, digital, marketing, messaging. Once a strategy is in place, you’ll be armed with the roadmap you need to achieve business objectives and give your customers exactly what they want.

Get in touch today to find out more and discuss your business and strategy needs.

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Hero image for MyHealth1st's 'Look Deeper' campaign by Messy Collective
Look Deeper campaign bus shelter OOH by Messy Collective
Look Deeper website UX on mobile by Messy Collective
MyHealth1st's 'Look Deeper' print ad by Messy Collective
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'Look Deeper' Integrated Campaign

'Look Deeper' Integrated Campaign

A simple eye test with an optometrist is key to detecting eye disease early and saving sight. When MyHealth1st wanted to promote this important eye health message, they turned to Messy Collective for the solution.

With so many health messages already in market, we knew our idea had to be simple but impactful in order to prompt action. And so the Eyesberg was born, an interactive visual metaphor demonstrating the serious diseases that can lurk beneath the eye’s surface that only an optometrist can detect.

lookdeeper.com.au

  • Messaging strategy
  • Social strategy
  • Content creation
  • Digital marketing
  • Video production
  • Websites
  • User experience design
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Host sitting on an armchair beside a raffle barrel, holding a raffel ticket result with a shocked face
Three people sitting on a lounge, each holding a thumbs up sign
Man in casual clothes sitting in a blow up kiddie pool while another person pours a bucket with a thumbs down sticker, of water on the man in the kiddie pool.
Card that says more information, visit esfatey.gov.au
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eSafety Protecting LGBTIQ+ Voices Online

eSafety Protecting LGBTIQ+ Voices Online

Messy Collective was engaged by eSafety Commissioner, the Australian government agency committed to keeping all citizens safe online, to deliver a video and digital campaign for the LGBTIQ+ community. The objective was to increase awareness and understanding around respectful behaviour, discrimination, and risks online.

To achieve cut through, we wanted to boldly juxtapose the seriousness of the messages with humour that would grab attention while bringing to light the discrimination that exists.

The result was an engaging series of short videos fronted by well-known Australian comedian, Nina Oyama, and supported by a cast of talent from the LGBTIQ+ community. Each one sheds light on the myriad of issues and risks, and encourages individuals to be aware, be accountable, and to ‘Play Nice, Stay Safe’.

The process was highly collaborative with both the eSafety team and leaders and advocates from within the LGBTIQ+ community. As well as creative ideation, scriptwriting and storyboarding, Messy facilitated testing sessions, talent casting, production and talent management, location scouting, and production and post-production of four videos plus a range of campaign assets for digital and social media.

  • Video production
  • Content creation
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MyHealth1st logo by Messy Collective
MyHealth1st logo by Messy Collective
MyHealth1st product suite logos by Messy Collective
Overview of MyHealth1st Design System by Messy Collective
MyHealth1st website screenshots on desktop and mobile
Person looking at MyHealth1st Health Hub on a phone
Screenshots of landing page for MyHealth1st campaign
Examples of MyHealth1st print optometry campaigns
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MyHealth1st Brand & Digital Solutions

MyHealth1st Brand & Digital Solutions

MyHealth1st approached Messy Collective for some fresh ideas on how to better engage their audience and stand out in the market. The goal was to create a bold brand positioning identity system that would reflect the company’s vision of providing a unified, patient-centric healthcare service.

By challenging traditional medical clichés and focussing on humanising the brand, the Messy team was able to develop an end-to-end strategy, digital and brand identity system that brings to life the digital connection that exists between patients and their healthcare practitioners.

myhealth1st.com.au

  • Digital marketing
  • Print and outdoor
  • Brand identity
  • Messaging strategy
  • Brand guidelines
  • User experience design
  • Digital design systems
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Australian Government Department of Home Affairs' Maritime Security Awareness Training Module UX design example by Messy Collective
Australian Government Department of Home Affairs' Maritime Security Awareness Training Module UX userflow overview by Messy Collective
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Australian Government Department of Home Affairs' Maritime Security Awareness Training Module print brochures by Messy Collective
Australian Government Department of Home Affairs' Maritime Security Awareness Training Module print design by Messy Collective
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Department of Home Affairs Security Awareness Portal

Department of Home Affairs Security Awareness Portal

Changes in government regulation meant that frontline staff from the Aviation, Maritime and Cargo industries needed additional training at scale, which required a comprehensive eLearning, video and print solution.

Messy Collective’s UX design and development team implemented a cloud-based training module across all platforms to WCAG AA accessibility standards, supported by a print and video component designed within a new, user-friendly experience.

  • User experience design
  • User interface design
  • Digital design systems
  • Websites
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Lowan Wholegrain Quick Oats Packaging Design by Messy Collective
Three Lowan packaging designs by Messy Collective
Lowan Swiss Mix Muesli packaging design close-up by Messy Collective
Lowan packaging back of box design by Messy Collective
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Lowan Wholefoods Packaging

Lowan Wholefoods Packaging

When Lowan shifted their products to the “bag in box” format, it provided a big opportunity for the brand to update its packaging and position itself as a more premium choice.

Messy Collective reimagined the original concepts and transformed them into contemporary, functional designs that would stand out on the shelf and allow customers to easily navigate Lowans’ extended range of products.

  • Packaging
  • Print and outdoor
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Legal Aid NSW's 'It's What We Stand For' campaign lockup by Messy Collective
Hero text image for Legal Aid NSW's 'What Do You Stand For?' campaign by Messy Collective
Screenshot from video for Legal Aid NSW's 'What Do You Stand For?' campaign by Messy Collective
Facebook carousel post for Legal Aid NSW's 'What Do You Stand For?' campaign by Messy Collective
Hand holding a phone featuring a Facebook post for Legal Aid NSW's 'What Do You Stand For?' campaign
Legal Aid NSW 'We Stand For Equality' Banner by Messy Collective
Legal Aid NSW 'It's What We Stand For' campaign poster by Messy Collective
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Legal Aid NSW ‘It’s What We Stand For’ Campaign

Legal Aid NSW ‘It’s What We Stand For’ Campaign

Messy Collective was engaged by Legal Aid NSW to develop a campaign to foster interdepartmental communication while promoting the value and importance of Legal Aid services to the general public.

The result was a powerful series of short videos in which Legal Aid NSW lawyers answered controversial questions about their job and why they do what they do. This provided a platform for the lawyers to dispel common misconceptions while at the same demonstrating the shared values that unite all Legal Aid workers.

  • Messaging strategy
  • Social strategy
  • Staff activations
  • Content creation
  • Video production
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Australian Chiropractors Association logo by Messy Collective
Australian Chiropractors Association big idea by Messy Collective
Mobile website screens of the Australian Chiropractors site by Messy Collective
ACA Member window sticker by Messy Collective
ACA brand architecture and guidelines by Messy Collective
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Australian Chiropractors Association

Australian Chiropractors Association

With over 3,000 members across Australia, the Australian Chiropractors Association (ACA) is active on all fronts in supporting chiropractors and enhancing patients’ health. Our approach was to build a cohesive brand identity system and digital experience to represent the support and confidence offered through membership.

Through a brand strategy workshop, the big idea of “Our support | Your confidence” was developed. This strategy informed the entire brand identity system and brand architecture which was rolled-out across the website and sub-brands. The new ACA monogram is a contemporary, flexible representation of the Association’s values.

chiro.org.au

  • Brand architecture
  • Brand identity
  • Brand guidelines
  • Digital marketing
  • Messaging strategy
  • Websites
  • User experience design
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Gus' Place Branding - Logo
Gus' Place Branding – Coffee Packaging
Gus' Place Branding – Print Menu
Gus' Place Branding – Print Business Card
Gus' Place Branding – Signage Feature Wall
Gus' Place Branding – Outdoor Signage
Gus' Place Branding – Window Decal Signage
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Gus’ Place Brand Identity

Gus’ Place Brand Identity

The iconic Gus’ Cafe was founded in Canberra in 1965. In 2016 the new owners wanted a fresh approach to the brand, while still paying homage to the legacy of its founder. This meant a brand identity that would appeal to generations of loyal customers while attracting new ones.

Our creative team drew inspiration from the region and the persona of the original owners to create a nostalgic identity for the new Gus’ Place. The identity was rolled out across the cafe, including signage, printed menus and uniforms, as well as social media channels.

  • Print and outdoor
  • Packaging
  • Brand identity
  • Brand guidelines
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Animated landscape with a bus and trees. 'Transport Connected Bus' title above.
Four animated figures waiting for the bus. One young woman on her phone, a young guy with his hands in his pockets, an elderly woman with a trolley, an older man with his thumbs up and a school child playing with a yoyo
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Transport for NSW Animated Explainer Video

Transport for NSW Animated Explainer Video

Transport for NSW engaged Messy to help them get regional bus operators on board with the Transport Connected Bus Program. The new technology enables customers on regional bus routes to enjoy the same technology benefits that customers already enjoy in metro areas.

Transport for NSW needed a simple awareness tool to help communicate how the solution works, and the benefits for customers, communities and operators. We knew video would be the perfect medium to present the information and enable sharing across different channels and platforms.

Messy created an explainer video – from the script, storyboard and animation style through to production and delivery. The illustration and video style was built in adherence to the NSW Government video guidelines and succeeded in simplifying the message into a 1-minute experience.

  • Video production
  • Content creation
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Droppoint Brand & Product Solutions

Droppoint Brand & Product Solutions

Messy was engaged by Droppoint to reposition the brand and better highlight the value and uniqueness of its offering. 

Through strategic research and workshops we created a brand new industry category of ‘materials orchestration’ that defined exactly what Droppoint did and positioned them as pioneering leaders in the field. This strategy informed the entire brand identity, strategic messaging and tone of voice, which was rolled out across the website, user interface, video, product UX, and digital and print assets.

droppoint.com.au

  • Brand architecture
  • Brand identity
  • Email
  • Print and outdoor
  • Video production
  • Websites
  • Web development
  • User experience design
  • User interface design
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Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

This privacy policy discloses the privacy practices for www.messy.com.au. This policy applies solely to information collected by this website. It will notify you of the following:

  1. What personally identifiable information is collected from you through the website, how it is used and with whom it may be shared.
  2. What choices are available to you regarding the use of your data.
  3. The security procedures in place to protect the misuse of your information.
  4. How you can correct any inaccuracies in the information.

Information Collection, Use, and Sharing

We are the sole owners of the information collected on this site. We only have access to/collect information that you voluntarily give us via email or other direct contact from you. We will not sell or rent this information to anyone.

We will use your information to respond to you, regarding the reason you contacted us. We will not share your information with any third party outside of our organisation, other than as necessary to fulfill your request to be contacted.

Unless you ask us not to, we may contact you via email in the future to tell you about new products or services, news or changes to this privacy policy.

Direct Marketing

From time to time we may use your personal information that you have provided to us to provide you with:

  • Updates about your information; and current information about our services, special offers you may find of interest, changes to our organisation, or new services being offered by us or any third party (Marketing Communications).
  • By providing us with your personal information, you consent to us using your information to contact you on an ongoing basis for these purposes, including by mail, email, SMS, social media and telephone.
  • If you do not wish to receive Marketing Communications from us, you may at any time unsubscribe from receiving such information by responding via the channel in which you received the marketing communication. We will not charge you for giving effect to your request and will take all reasonable steps to meet your request at the earliest possible opportunity.

Cookies

We may use "cookies" on this site. A cookie is a piece of data stored on a site visitor's hard drive to help us improve your access to our site and identify repeat visitors to our site. For instance, by using a cookie to identify you enables us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our site. Usage of a cookie is in no way linked to any personally identifiable information on our site. You always have the option to set your browser so that your computer does not accept them.

Links

This website contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of any other site that collects personally identifiable information.

Your Access to and Control Over Information

You may opt out of any future contacts from us at any time. You can do the following at any time by contacting us via the email address privacy@messy.com.au:

  • See what data we have about you, if any
  • Change/correct any data we have about you
  • Have us delete any data we have about you
  • Express any concern you have about our use of your data

Messy Collective will provide access to personal information about an individual upon request by that individual (there are exceptions to granting access e.g. where access would be unlawful under the Privacy Act). If Messy Collective denies access to an individual's personal information, it will provide reasons in writing.

The Procedure for Gaining Access is as Follows:

An individual will need to make a request for access in writing, addressed to the Privacy Officer (see contact details below).

  • An individual must provide sufficient details of the information requested
  • Messy Collective will need to verify the identity of that individual
  • Messy Collective may need to charge an administrative fee to cover the cost of access (however, there is no fee for lodging a request for access). Messy Collective will notify the individual of the proposed fee before proceeding
  • Messy Collective will respond to a request as soon as reasonably practicable but by no later than 30 days of receipt of the request
  • Messy Collective will deliver the requested information by email
  • Messy Collective will take all reasonable measures to aim to ensure that the personal information it holds is accurate, complete and up to date. Please contact the Privacy Officer if you believe that the information we have about you is not accurate, complete or up to date.

Security

We take precautions to protect your information. When you submit information via the website, your information is protected both online and offline.

Wherever we collect sensitive information, that information is encrypted and transmitted to us in a secure way. You can verify this by looking for a lock icon in the address bar and looking for "https" at the beginning of the address of the Web page.

While we use encryption to protect sensitive information transmitted online, we also protect your information offline. Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job (for example, billing or customer service) are granted access to personally identifiable information. The computers/servers in which we store personally identifiable information are kept in a secure environment.

We will use all reasonable endeavours to keep your personal information in a secure environment, however, this security cannot be guaranteed. Our procedures are designed to prevent your personal information being accessed by unauthorised personnel, lost or misused. If you reasonably believe that there has been unauthorised use or disclosure of your personal information, please contact us using the contact details below.

Notwithstanding the reasonable steps taken to keep information secure, breaches may occur. In the event of a security incident we have in place procedures to promptly investigate the incident and determine if there has been a data breach involving personal information, and if so, to assess if it is a breach that would require notification. If it is, we will notify affected parties in accordance with Privacy Act requirements.

If you feel that we are not abiding by this privacy policy, you should contact our Privacy Officer immediately via telephone at +61 2 8040 9229 or via emailing privacy@messy.com.au.