After completing a degree in urban and regional design, Mike broke free after his mid-life crisis arrived around 20 years to early, and he joined the ad agency ranks for a career change.

Completing the AFA trainee scheme in 88', Mike worked in the ad industry for around 5 years with the likes of Fysh Rutherford, Chris Dewy and Ted Horton, mainly as a young suit who bore the brunt of their regular dressing-downs.

Soon, Mike went over to the dark-side of the communications fence (client!) and has since worked in various senior marketing communications and brand management roles for the likes of AXA, National Australia, Telstra, Westpac and more recently, Australian Unity.

For some goods, visual merchandising is the clincher in the long process to capture the heart and business of the precious consumer. It?s both an art and a science, requiring collaboration with many other professionals. So how do brands translate into a 3D environment through the VM combo of design skills, marketing savvy and shopper psychology? Hear what?s needed to take projects from concept to completion: how to work with store designers, architects and others to stop your brand?s targets in their tracks.

Mike will speak about the development of the AU brand strategy and its implementation through a number of programs which would articulate the strategy in a more tangible sense, specifically through the retail outlets re-fit program.

SPONSORED BY Creative Contact