kate dorrell 2

PORTFOLIO: KATE DORRELLPR, media relations, events management, copywriting and journalism.

AUSTRALIAN HEARING - INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN

INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN - HEARING AWARENESS WEEK (AUG 2009)Hearing Awareness Week is the industry’s largest national celebration. I was responsible for managing the national campaign and providing a strategy for our 110 hearing centres to execute activities locally. This included a media conference and two days of hearing checks at Parliament House, local advertising and events.We received 150 items of media coverage valued at $305,000 and significant increases in calls and website hits, which resulted in a 45% increase in prospective clients during August 2009 compared to 2008 - the highest monthly figure for the 2009 calendar year.

My role: Managing the campaign, including the budget, and coordinating national activities.

An article about local activities in the Ballarat News.

AUSTRALIAN HEARING - INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN

INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN - FAST LIVING, SLOW AGEING (NOV 2009)After contributing a chapter on hearing health to the book, Fast Living, Slow Ageing, we decided to sponsor the launch. The partnership enabled us to link hearing to more popular health messages, and use the book as a tool for building relationships with stakeholders, such as GPs and pharmacists. We gave away more than 1,000 books to seniors as an incentive to get a hearing check, received high quality media coverage and positive staff feedback about local activities.

My role: Developing the idea and managing the campaign.

Left and above: Authors at the book launch at State Library of NSW and an article in Body+Soul lift out in the Sunday Telegraph.

AUSTRALIAN HEARING - MEDIA CONFERENCE

MEDIA CONFERENCE - HEARING HEALTH REPORT (10 JUNE 2008) Our big idea was to create a hearing health report that would make hearing issues relevant to everyone. The media coverage was extensive. It aired on TV news 33 times, 159 times on radio and more than 50 print articles.Print stories reached the UK, USA, India, Thailand, Lebanon and Malaysia. Calls to our hearing telephone service in June were the highest for the year with a significant call spike of 1,200 percent on the day of the launch versus the day before. The campaign was commended by the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) in the 2008 Golden Target Awards for Excellence in the health category. My role: Managing and executing the campaign - from idea to evaluation.

Left to right: Prof Harvey Dillon discusses the survey results and the report, which asks 1,000 Australians their attitudes to noise and hearing loss.


MEDIA LAUNCH - TELEPHONE HEARING SERVICE (SEP 2007)The launch of our telephone hearing service, Telscreen, generated more than 20,000 calls in 24 hours. Our first launch was hosted by our Minister at the time, Senator the Hon Chris Ellison. We held a second launch five months later with a new Minister, Senator the Hon Joe Ludwig. My role: Assisting the Corporate Communications Manager with the media strategy and liaison and event management. Writing the speaking points, briefing packs and managing production of a video news reel.

MEDIA CONFERENCE - HEARING PHONE CHECK FOR CHINESE SPEAKERS (21 MARCH 2009)The launch of a free telephone hearing check service for Chinese-speakers was a new challenge due to the language considerations, but worth the hard work. The response by Chinese media was excellent, with more than 12 newspapers, three radio stations and two TV stations covering the story. TVB (a pay TV channel for Chinese speakers) broadcast a 20-minute feature story about our services on a primetime news programme.We also ran advertising and created branded merchandises to support the launch.My role: Developing the communication strategy, managing the project team and hands-on media relations.


EVENT– ANZAC DAY (25 APRIL 2008) Veterans are an important part of Australian Hearing’s history. ANZAC Day provides a good opportunity to commemorate veterans, build strong relationships with relevant stakeholders and promote our services. In 2008 we were fortunate to welcome our Sydney centre’s veteran client and ex-Prime Minister, The Hon. Edward Gough Whitlam, AC QC, to a morning tea at Chatswood RSL, hosted by our Chairman, Kathryn Greiner AO. My role: Managing the media and briefing the VIPs.

Clockwise from right: article on page six of The Australian; DL invitation; branded gift bags for guests.

AUSTRALIAN HEARING - EVENT

EVENT - MANAGING DIRECTOR’S FAREWELL (SEP 2008)After seven years at Australian Hearing, the Managing Director’s farewell was a big deal. We hosted two parties, produced a DVD and a book. She was chuffed and we all felt proud to be part of the organisation. My role: Managing the staff party, producing a DVD (including shooting it) and informing media.

AUSTRALIAN HEARING - EVENT

VARIOUS WEBSITES - COPYWRITING

COPYWRITING - FREELANCE WRITING FOR THE WEB (2004 - 2005)While working in London, I held various copywriting contracts. I wrote extensively for the bank, Lloyds TSB, creating case studies and tips for small businesses for their web site. I also spent six-weeks writing web copy for the UK’s biggest insurer, Lloyds of London. (In their funky and famous office at One Lime Street.)A few years ago, I also wrote the entire content for the site of an Australian small business, a management consultancy firm called Attitude Works. My role: Producing reader-friendly professional copy to suit the clients’ markets and brands.

USWITCH - COPYWRITING

COPYWRITING - CONTENT FOR ONLINE BUSINESS (2005 - 2006)I produced between four and five pages of copy a day for six months, including using key words for search engine optimisation. The organisation - www.uSwitch.com - is a UK site where users can compare deals, like broadband contracts, and sign up to the one that best suits them. I wrote about personal finance, energy, broadband, insurance and managing debt.The team at uSwitch offered me sponsorship to stay in the UK once my visa expired, but alas, home was calling.My role: Writing reader-friendly copy to brief.

CREATIVE WRITING

COPYWRITING - PRO BONO WORKSometimes I write ‘on the side’ - either for fun or to help out friends. This has included two humorous pieces for The Big Issue, writing reviews for music website, In The Mix and keeping a blog for my friend’s new online UK fitness training site, www.ibodz.com. Last semester, I received a High Distinction for a satirical short story I wrote in my Diploma of Writing course at UTS. I am also working on a sitcom with a girlfriend. However, it’s taken an entire year to write one episode, so I doubt we’ll be quitting our day jobs any time soon! My role: Writing and being creative. Above and right: the ibodz site and the pilot sitcom script.