Not so long ago, an engineering company that specialised in bridge building would base a tender around their core credentials in engineering and bridge building expertise.

These days, the world of engineering and infrastructure projects requires additional skill sets, often far removed from a bridge builder’s core competencies. Major infrastructure tenders require community consultation and proof of local job creation. Grassroots or industrial action can destabilise projects, resulting in damaged reputations and reduced margins.

Over the last decade, even the most lauded examples of community engagement have become redundant. Former New York Major Rudy Giuliani received international acclaim for the process in which he engaged the local community in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

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An online strategy always has its feet on the ground. Online channels are designed to inspire offline action and there are some offline activities that will never be replicated in digital.

We applaud Sanna for reminding us of this fact as often as she can via her amazing cupcakes. No one in the office today was eager to choose a byte over a bite at lunchtime, savouring every morsel of these beauties. However, we’re certain viewing these sunny morsels on the blog will encourage some offline snacking!

So, a tasty reminder, that – as much as researchers are determined to prove we’re all becoming detached from reality, preferring the virtual to the tangible – ultimately we seek pleasures in the flesh. Worth keeping in mind when developing an online strategy is the fact that your audience spends their most precious time with real people, eating real food. Like cupcakes.

Appetite whet? Come down to the warehouse and chat to us face to face about how we can achieve your real world goals using digital means. We can always schedule it on a baking day.

When I joined the gym at the end of last year  I was given the opportunity to find out my bio age. That is, the same test they do on The Biggest Loser contestants to find out how much older the body was in comparison to their numerical age. I was very relieved when it turned out that my bio age was only one year older than my numerical age. But, it got me thinking, how do we measure age and how old is old?

Take our family friend Tryggve. He’s lived a good life. Working for a large telecommunications company, he has lived in pretty much every part of the world and has some amazing stories to tell. Aged around 60-65, some would probably consider him old. After all, he is of retiring age.

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Working for Sotheby’s is interesting, actually arresting would be a better word, on many levels. There’s a story behind every work of art, item of hand crafted furniture and piece of jewellery.

It’s the latter that caught our attention most recently. Not just because of the sparkling array of desirable necklaces, bracelets and watches. Also because of the hidden surprises that rest among the more attention grabbing pieces.
Sotheby’s Australia will conduct their first auction of fine jewellery for 2011 on Monday April 4, 2011. The auction, which will be held at Sotheby’s Melbourne auction rooms in Armadale, will see over 200 lots go under the hammer, comprising of fine, rare, vintage and designer jewellery pieces from labels including Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany, Cartier and Paspaley.

The auction also contains a number of lots sold on behalf of the University of Sydney, which were the gift of a private benefactor.

The proceeds from these sales will go on to benefit the University’s museums and collections. Yes, another story worth pursuing.

But the best kept secret of the well heeled but not super rich is that you can get your hands on a beautiful, stunning piece of jewellery for less than you think. Cheap, not; affordable, just maybe. While Sotheby’s is the world’s premier auction house auctioning the most rare and precious of works, the company also auctions pieces it deems impressive even if the price tag is not in the six figures.

And the auction process is fun. If you haven’t got time, you can have a bidder assigned for you.

If you’re partial to Cartier, Paspaley and Van Cleef & Arpels – antique or contemporary – check out the Sotheby’s website and ponder your next move.

Ellis Jones is the publicity representative for Sotheby’s Australia.

At the peak of the Global Financial Crisis in 2009, an already faltering trust in business sank to 36% according to the Edelman Trust Barometer. It’s recovered a bit but confidence in business is a far cry from the days when a job for a company like General Motors was a badge of honour. Trust in government plumbed the depths at 30%. What happened? Crisis or no crisis, companies are on the nose, no longer respected community members, too often seen as providers of products at any cost.

I’m going to introduce a concept called ‘Shared Value’ in a minute. This is the first of a series of articles we’ll produce on the topic. But first let’s try and answer the question. Read all…

It’s no secret that in this truly modern age, social media (sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) are the absolute biggest players in getting important messages across to potentially millions (and gazillions) of people online. Let’s not kid ourselves any longer about the long-reaching arm of the internet.

Conversations are happening instantly, more often and between more people online.  The very vehicles that facilitate these modern interactions also make it possible to communicate in a highly specific or personalised way, en masse. The days of catching up on the phone or having a chat in the bank line are slowing exiting stage left.

But how does a company coordinate, resource and track online communication across multiple websites and social media pages? How is a brand established and managed, and what to do with the wealth of information coming your way? It’s just such a mammoth task! We offer some practical tips.

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That’s a pretty confronting way to start an article isn’t it? ‘We know older people’. I mean who do we think we are?! What’s old anyway in this world of everlasting youth in a tube?

But, truth is, we do know (and call our friends) a lot of people advanced in years. More importantly, we know their behaviours, habits, common languages, needs, likes and key concerns. We know where Australians over 65 years of age source their information, what networks they join and how they shop.

The claim is not hollow. We didn’t acquire this knowledge from a U.S. best seller (although we’ve read the texts and the research too). We’ve learned on the job, conducting national sector research for government, undertaking market reserach for health and aged care providers, and developing integrated marketing strategy, social media campaigns and web portals  for the peak bodies representing the interests of older Australians.

This year, the first lot of baby boomers are turning 65 years old and are therefore eligible to retire. And Ellis Jones has, through our intellectual interest and organic growth, become a leader in engaging them, and those for whom they care. Read all…

The new financial year is fast approaching and, with it, the production of the company annual report.

At their most fundamental, annual reports are necessary for compliance with corporation and departmental governance requirements – they share raw facts. Most organisations also use the annual report as a basis for engaging existing and potential customers, employees and key stakeholders.

Here at Ellis Jones, we’ve taken that thinking a leap further. Read all…

Change is constant. Resistance is futile! Luckily Australia’s aged care sector is united in the call for regime change.  Gaddafi must go, but so too must a national aged care system that impedes innovation, pits providers against regulators and, ultimately, reduces the long term sustainability of essential aged care services.

However, while change is constant, it is not homogeneous in its impact. The welcome recommendations of the Productivity Commission will affect providers in different ways. Our response to the commission’s draft report focuses on the communication risks that, if they escalate, may lead to the closure of important community based providers with invaluable local connections. Read all…