Simon Strahan

Marketing Director

DrinkWise Australia

Simon Strahan is currently the Marketing Director for DrinkWise Australia. Simon joined DrinkWise in 2014 and is responsible for marketing strategy, advertising creative, media and campaign public relations. Developing confronting communications in line with DrinkWise’s evidence-based approach, he develops innovative approaches to overcoming poor drinking behaviours. Before DrinkWise, Simon worked across Australian and international brands, including Cotton On, Australia Post, Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission (TAC) and AWB. His experience has provided exposure to unique markets and the need for marketing innovation. As the Cotton On Group (Global) eCommerce Logistics Manager, he managed six operational and customer service teams across Australia, the U.S. and Asia. In addition to launching international services Simon also developed an integrated customer service model in the three countries to provide a global ‘follow-the-sun’ approach to after-sales service. At Australia Post, he was National Communications and Campaigns Manager before being promoted into Strategy and Mergers and Acquisitions roles. During this time, Simon oversaw national marketing programmes for Australia Post’s AUD 4.2 billion commercial operations, was lead on two streams for organisational re-design and led its first eCommerce acquisition. His behavioural change skills were developed at TAC during the early 2000s, when the body was at the forefront of social marketing. Simon developed an affinity with causes for social good during this time and managed world-first behavioural change programmes for driver safety. His recent time at the TAC was leading the marketing and sponsorship teams. The marketing programs Simon has been involved with have won awards at: Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity; the APAC Effie (Effectiveness) Awards; Australian Marketing Effectiveness Awards; Advertising Federation of Australia Awards; and Australian Direct Marketing Awards.

Presentation

One of the most difficult tasks a marketer could face is to convey a strong brand message to a target audience who rarely listens, such as Generation Y. DrinkWise succeeded in developing a campaign that has successfully engaged millennials by using insights into their behaviours, language and channels to turn the conversation on its head. Simon Strahan analyses key strategies in this case study presentation.
• Selecting the best channels based on the customer journey to effectively communicate with the target audience
• Employing effective social media tools to engage and gain trust with the target audience