Where it all Begins
Client: Journey Early Learning
The Problem: Lost in a crowded early education market where everyone claims "care" and "development." No distinctive voice. 17 centres struggling to differentiate.
The Solution: Own the fundamental truth no competitor was claiming - the most significant learning happens before age five. Position Journey as where life's most important learning begins.
The Impact: 17 centres to 39 centres across Australia. Clear market differentiation. Unified internal culture around compelling purpose.
The Bigger Picture: The strongest brand positions aren't creative inventions - they're fundamental truths hiding in plain sight.
CATEGORY RESET
Shifted from "childcare provider" to "where learning begins"
Parent Truth: Connected to what parents already believe - these years matter most
Distinctive Territory: Owned "the beginning" while competitors fought over "development"
Internal Alignment: Gave 17 centres (soon 39) a unifying purpose beyond operational excellence
THE THINKING
Early childhood centres all compete on the same territory: getting kids "school-ready," hitting development milestones, providing quality care. Nobody was owning the bigger truth that parents intuitively understand - the most profound human learning happens in these years, not later. This isn't preparation for life; this is life's foundation.
Instead of fighting for incremental differentiation in a crowded category, we claimed the origin story itself. Journey became the place where everything begins.
Ryan meldrum, CEO
“They came with a clear strategy, and I knew from the start where we were going, and how long it was going to take. They helped us with our brand. It started with our logo and our key messages that were consistent across our business. It’s evolved into our digital strategy, our marketing mix, our video strategy. It’s just been endless, and it’s really exciting where it can go from here.”
My Role
Results
When we started our journey (eek, I know) with Journey, they had 17 centres. They have now expanded to 39 centres, with locations all over Australia.
Significant increase in parent engagement
Stronger differentiation in a crowded market
Clear, actionable brand platform for all communications
Unified internal culture around a compelling purpose
What This Teaches Us
When repositioning a brand, the strongest territories often lie in the fundamental truths we take for granted. By claiming 'the beginning' - Journey didn't just find a position, they found their purpose.
Brand Strategy -
Positioning -
insights -
Personality -
Tone of Voice -
Social Strategy -
Web UX
Content Strategy -
COVID-19 Rollout Strategy -
Brand Strategy - Positioning - insights - Personality - Tone of Voice - Social Strategy - Web UX Content Strategy - COVID-19 Rollout Strategy -
Outside Assembly
Client: Outside Assembly
The Problem: Two street designers breaking away from established firms. Entering competitive market full of corporate design voices. Needed to differentiate their collaborative approach without sounding like every other "boutique" agency.
The Solution: Position as connectors, not just designers. Own their custom design + collaboration model as the category differentiator.
The Impact: Successfully launched in competitive market. Strong differentiation from established players. Authentic voice resonating with clients and communities.
The Bigger Picture: In established categories, differentiation comes from embracing what makes you different, not hiding it.
Street design firms operate top-down: designers dictate, clients approve, communities receive. Outside Assembly built their entire model around genuine collaboration - bringing designers, clients, and communities together from the start. This wasn't a nice-to-have; it was their competitive advantage. The challenge was making "collaboration" feel real in a market where everyone claims to be collaborative. We needed specificity, not slogans.
Results
Successfully launched in a competitive market
Strong differentiation from established players
Clear, actionable brand platform for growth
Authentic voice that resonated with both clients and communities
What This Teaches Us
When entering an established category, the strongest position often comes from embracing what makes you different. By owning their collaborative approach, Outside Assembly didn't just create a brand - they created a new way of thinking about street design.
Clear Differentiator:
Custom design + genuine collaboration vs. corporate one-size-fits-all
Authentic Voice: Street-wise tone vs. corporate jargon dominant in category
Process As Positioning: Made their collaborative method the brand story
Community Focus: Positioned designers as connectors, not dictators
My Role