Very happy to announce that that our design for Tourism Australia’s consumer travel site, www.australia.com, has been nominated for a Webby Award in the Tourism category!

This also means that australia.com is eligible to win a Webby People’s Voice Award, which is relies on votes from the world wide community. Please feel free to jump over and vote any time up till April 30th at http://pv.webbyawards.com. Go on, get in there. You know you want to.

You can check it out, along with the other nominees here: http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php?season=13

(From Adnews March 13th 2009)

How is 2009 shaping up for digital agencies?

Bring it on!

More and more companies are now realising the power of digital as a key business driver. In this environment, can companies afford to choose a generalist over an expert?

Our promise to clients – Better, Faster, Cheaper, Flexible – has never been more on the money than right now.

What’s more, our ability to deliver against these pillars is in stark contrast to some of our larger integrated agency competitors.

We have seen from the fully integrated agencies’ claim after claim, restructure after restructure and senior hire after senior hire, that, if you scratch the surface, they are the same old mainstream agency with digital tacked on…..animating print ads, TVCs online.

Unless every ounce of your agency’s DNA is digital, you are behind the curve and subsequently your clients are chasing not leading.

Technology is no longer just that guy in the corner playing Dungeons and Dragons, it is the gateway between business, marketing, customers and prospects. Your agency must live and breathe technology, developing the best solutions, aware of all innovations and, equally, the limitations. This is the pedigree of digital agencies, minimising risk, saving time and money, creating innovative solutions and improving speed to market.

Digital creates rivers of data, and you can sink or swim in this data. It comes in real time, wave after wave of information. Digital agencies are accustomed to this immediacy of information, turning on the taps, filtering and optimising the work. Data sits across all departments. It is no longer about post analysis – it provides insight, it informs and it enlightens.

Interaction is so much more than just a click or a person voting on their favourite viral piece. Interaction is a way of thinking beyond the traditional; broadcast/reaction, cause/effect – it is about capture and engagement. Digital agencies grab the interaction possibilities; taking a great idea and making it live and breathe online.

As digital finally lives up to the promises extolled for years, clients should expect more than just window dressing. 2009 could well prove the year that truly steels the future of digital agencies, the year that sets the direction for years to come.

As I said at the outset, 2009 bring it on!!

For more information contact:
Craig Galvin – Executive Director, Partner, the white agency

My bad, this post got lost in pending purgatory (that’s what pitch madness will do to a blog). About a month old but it still is NEWS.

“the White Agency, has appointed Mat Medcalf into the position of General Manager in its Melbourne office.

Medcalf’s role will be focused on further building the business and consolidating its strong position within the digital arena in Melbourne.

Medcalf joins White from Spin Communications where he was most recently Commercial Director and Head of its Melbourne office. Here he worked with clients such as BigPond, Disney, Nintendo and Kia Motors. Prior to this, Medcalf was Head of Innovation at Naked Communications during which time he was in charge of developing new ways to communicate a brand message working with leading brands including Coke, eBay, Nokia and ninemsn.

Medcalf said he was really excited about working with one of the premier digital agencies in Australia and was looking forward to making inroads into the Melbourne market where he feels there is a big opportunity for digital specialists.

“In this climate, clients are increasingly looking for powerful yet cost effective ways to gain market share and customer engagement and I feel this offers an amazing amount of opportunities for digital to leverage,” he said.

White’s CEO, Miles Joyce said Medcalf will bring extensive experience in delivering successful, innovative and result-driven solutions to clients. This, coupled with his strong management and business development skills, make him a great addition to White and further strengthens the highly talented team we already have in Melbourne.”

“Melbourne is a very important market for us so this appointment is crucial to ensure we continue to deliver our high standard of work while growing the business and the Melbourne digital marketplace overall.

The White Agency is part of STW Communications Group, Australia’s leading marketing content and communications services group.”

End serious bit.

The 2009 Victorian Bushfire Fund

Weekends, holidays, late nights… Pitches do funny things to people (mainly Cerns it seems).

Also makes you proud to work with such hard working talented peeps.

Woot.

Yep, we got one last night @award for the Sprite Truth Hunters Campaign. Nice work team. Head hurtz now.

So if you google “Australia” the first three results will be… the Australian Government,
Australia’s Wikipedia entry and then this site…

That would be Australia.com… for Tourism Australia. As in the site people all around the world go to when thinking about popping down under for a little poke around or that massive transforming voyage of self discovery to experience the vast majestic beauty that is Terra Australis, New Holland… Oz

Or you may have come across it searching for some little movie that may have just come out starring that little red headed girl from BMX bandits and that Wolverine dude. Anyway…

Continuing our theme of undertaking some of the biggest site launches in the country this year (trumpet blown) we have another high profile project that should leave everyone involved with it, walking a little taller this week. And if that wasn’t enough how about throwing in the design and build of Tourism Australia’s media site as well. Are these people robots?

No they’re not, just a swell bunch of talented, hard working clever people.

Hat Tip to: Fiona, Heath, Daniel, Duncan Pete V, Cearns, Mr David Carson esq and Mike Barry*

The photo below sums up the whole “vibe” of the project.

* I’m sure more peeps were on this… tell me…

A little while ago we completed a small project called “CBA Webolution Phase 1″which meant we did a quick refresh of the personal banking section of a new up and coming bank who you may of heard of before, The Commonwealth Bank of Australia, anyone? No? Didn’t think so. Anyway they seemed to like the pixel polishing we did for them so they asked us to work on another project called “CBA Webolution Phase 2″ No problems, easy, should knock that one off on a Monday morning before lunchtime. Right?

(Puts joke aside)

Seriously now. Wow. 12 months later and several lifetimes of work have been lovingly poured into the redevelopment of CBA’s Business and Corporate banking sections. And it shows. Top, top work from all those in the agency who touched this project with extra hat tips to Matt, Kathleen, Ellie, Mike, Fabulous, Luke, Jamie, Penn… and (thank god for blogs as I will have to update this list several times). I hope everyone involved feels all warm and tingly, because it really is a massive achievement. Well done guys!

Is that our Fab “Head of Production’s” head on the latest cover of Australian Creative?

Erm, no. Almost.

They’re doing for the girls!….

Online Divas – Online Business Networking Group

At last, somewhere where entrepreneurial women can come together, and share a common vision – running an online business.

I have just watched a local TV news report on this site, and was pleased to discover that The White Agency’s Kate Chatfield is already there making her mark as one of the Diva’s. What a great way of sharing online knowledge with like minded women eager to succeed in the digital world.

So many times we tell ourselves, if only I had done that. It seems with the Diva’s help your idea could be creating the next ground breaking, money making sites.

Buckle up, get your stilettos on and get ready for digital dance floor.

Where: onlinedivas.com.au