Adoni Media Public Relations & Media Training

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

NTI is Australia's leading specialist insurer across heavy vehicle & logistics, marine, and equipment & machinery, offering specialised insurance and risk advisory services to improve the safety and sustainability of Australian businesses.

As PR & Media Relations Manager, I develop and execute NTI’s national PR and adverting strategy to support our position as Australia's leading industry specialist. I also lead NTI's Crisis Communications delivery to manage reputational risk for our customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address?

As a national operations, with offices across 5 states - its crucial we partner with a media agency that delivers an ongoing, seamless service for not only ourselves, but our customers. Further to this, as a small marketing team we rely on a partner who acts as an extension of our team and provides a level of service and output on par with NTI, in their areas of expertise.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement and team dynamic?

Adoni Media work with us across 5 marketing leading brands/products, each of which have differing audiences. On any given day - we may be pitching a national road safety initiative to general media; the next it’s a targeted regional pitch to a niche product market. Adoni are highly involved and have a deep understanding of our business and our customers.

What's the status of this engagement?

Our partnership is longstanding and ongoing. We review the scope of our partnership yearly to ensure it reflects the growing needs of our business and to get Adoni's recommendations on how we further expand our PR strategy year on year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did your relationship with your partner evolve?

Adoni Media have been our partnering agency for around 5 years now. One of the things we really value in this light, is their staff retention. We've collaborated with the same team of people during this time - which is very rare!

Over this time our relationship and nature of work has expanded greatly; from individualised campaign work to ongoing national PR and crisis communications support. They have been instrumental in increasing our PR activity and results but also the capability of NTI people to interact with media - which in turn has resulted us in being prepared to respond to media inquiries (TV, Radio) with little notice.

In what ways can they improve?

We are currently very happy with the nature of our partnership and how we continue to grow together with Adoni.

Whilst NTI has operated for nearing 50yrs, PR has really only been part of our overall business strategy in recent times. Adoni have worked with us hand in hand to build our media activity year on year. The challenge moving forward is how we start to venture into new territory based on NTI product development and shifts in target audiences. Given our track record we are optimistic Adoni can lead us on this journey.

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

Work with an agency that boasts a highly regarded team with real industry experience across all facets of media.

Lastly, you cannot put a price on shared values and level of expectations.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on June 12, 2020.

Amy Vining

Content Team Leader, Specialist Insurer

Financial Services

201-500 Employees

Australia

$50,000 to $199,999

Jun 2020 - Ongoing

Project summary

Adoni Media is assisting in maximizing the reach of PR efforts and seeking out PR opportunities for a transport and logistics insurer. They work on campaigns, content, and digital work and help train as well.

Feedback summary

Adoni Media's work so far has contributed to an increase in PR activity and media releases. Their workflow is effective and they collaborate well with the client as one team. With a monthly WIP, they work seamlessly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are Australia's leading transport and logistics insurer, offering specialised insurance and risk management tools across five different brands. My position is the Content Team Leader and in this role, I oversee all content materials that are distributed to our customers, partners, and industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Adoni Media?

As we are a small marketing team we hired Adoni Media to come onboard on a monthly retainer basis to assist with maximising the reach of our PR efforts and seeking out PR opportunities.

What were your goals for this project?

To ramp up our PR activity and to broaden our reach into the mainstream media rather than purely focusing on industry publications.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The team had worked on a campaign basis with Adoni in the past and were extremely happy with their work.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Adoni work with our team to assess PR opportunities from our various projects, campaigns, content, and digital work being completed in house. We also rely on the Adoni team to keep across industry news in order to be able to offer our experts up for comment to media when applicable. They also help train and prepare internal experts for media opportunities.

What was the team composition?

We work extremely closely with Adoni Managing Director, Leisa Goddard, and Clare Christensen, Communications Director. While other team members have also been involved on our account across our time working collaboratively together, Leisa and Clare have remained our consistent points of contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Recently Adoni helped execute our most successful NTARC Report launch. However, success for us when looking back on our time working with Adoni is the huge increase in our PR activity alone. During FY20 we have sent out more than 30 media releases with Adoni's help to both industry media, and mainstream media. Without their help, this would not have been possible.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

With a monthly WIP we are able to work seamlessly as one team.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Having former journalists work with our internal team enables us to achieve coverage, angles, and VNR outcomes that would otherwise be impossible if we were to do this work solely in-house.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, there are none.

Star Ratings

Overall rating: 4

Quality: 4

Cost: 4

Schedule: 4

Willing to refer: 5

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the General Manager of Eden Health Retreat

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Eden Health Retreat provides a space to pause and reflect, along with the tools to leave us a more balanced version of your best self.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Adoni Media to accomplish?

• Preparation for a national TV broadcast

SOLUTION

How did you find Adoni Media?

Online Search

Why did you select Adoni Media over others?

• High ratings
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Adoni Media were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Adoni Media played a pivotal role in training and preparing myself, as the General Manager of Eden Health Retreat, for an upcoming national TV broadcast. Understanding the significance of the opportunity, Adoni Media developed a comprehensive media training program tailored to my needs and objectives. The training began with an in-depth analysis of the TV program format, target audience, and key messaging. 

Adoni Media's skilled team of media experts then conducted multiple mock interviews and practice sessions to simulate the high-pressure environment of a live television broadcast. Including the bright lights! During the training sessions, Adoni Media focused on enhancing my communication skills, ensuring I could articulate my messages clearly and concisely. They provided valuable feedback on body language, voice modulation, and overall presentation style to enhance my on-screen presence. 

Adoni Media also prepared me comprehensively, with anticipated questions and challenging scenarios, equipping her with strategies to handle difficult situations with confidence and poise. Overall, Adoni Media's training and preparation transformed me into a confident and polished spokesperson for Eden Health Retreat. 

Through their expertise and guidance, I developed the skills necessary to navigate the demanding world of media interviews and successfully convey the retreat's unique offerings. Adoni Media's comprehensive approach not only ensured my success for Eden during the TV broadcast but also equipped me with invaluable media skills that will continue to benefit my future interactions with the media and public alike.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

My self confidence in communicating with a television show known for being sensationalist.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Adoni Media were excellent communicators from the outset to post-completion. They delivered ahead of my anticipated schedule and continued to follow up after the interview.

What was your primary form of communication with Adoni Media?

In-Person Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The standard of delivery. From initial contact emails to the lovely post-interview card I received, Adoni Media exceeded expectations.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Adoni Media could have done differently?

None.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Cheese Therapy an eCommerce food retailer that directly supports small Australian producers and distributes direct to peoples' homes around Australia. I co-founded Cheese Therapy in 2015 and have seen tremendous support of the Australian media and consumers over this time.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Adoni Media, and what were your goals?

Regional areas have often struggled to showcase what they do and better promote the producers in their areas. This was particularly heightened during the pandemic. We engaged Adoni Media to gain media exposure of the work we were doing to promote small regional producers and the many challenges that they face. The extensive and prolonged media coverage that Adoni was able to achieve propelled our company, highlighted regional struggles and gave a collective voice to producers to fight battles where needed.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Adoni Media came highly recommended. I have worked with several PR agencies in the past so knew that I was after a highly passionate team who would take action. They have extensive contacts in the media industry and have built a great reputation of providing the media with strong stories.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

I have engaged Adoni Media on several projects to improve our profile and gain greater exposure. One such project was when Australia Post was planning to stop the carriage of perishable goods through their network. This would have been devastating for thousands of producers and small businesses around the country who rely on AusPost to send their products through the mail.

We engaged Adoni to gain high level national exposure to the issue which resulted in direct conversations with the acting CEO of AusPost and management team and a subsequent undertaking to not introduce a perishable goods ban.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I worked directly with the Founder and Managing Director, Leisa Goddard, Senior Account Manager, Jane Henschke and Communications Director, Clare Christensen.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

On our Australia Post project, Adoni Media generated more than 160 national news articles and resulted in AusPost overturning their perishable goods ban.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Their communication style is excellent. Sometimes we are too busy but they just get the job done. They deeply understood our core values and mission and were always able to align their media conversations with what we stood for.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The most impressive part about working with Adoni is their ability to understand who we are as a company and that they were invested in our plight as if they were an integral part of our management team. Their passion for what we stood for came through in every communication we had with them.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I really appreciate everything that have done for us. Without them, we would not be the company we are today.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The Salvation Army Australia is an international Christian movement, united by faith and giving hope where it’s needed most. Across Australia – in cities, country towns and rural communities – our work touches every demographic and age group.

We’re involved in national issues while also bringing hope to people who may be experiencing hardship or injustice.

As the Public Relations Secretary in Queensland, I am responsible for Fundraising (including The Red Shield Appeal), Media & Government Relations, Branding & Marketing, Internal & External Communications and Editorial functions in Queensland

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Adoni Media?

The Salvation Army hired Adoni Media to support us in the promotion of both the Christmas Appeal in late 2019 and the Red Shield Appeal in 2020.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

My predecessor had recommended engaging with Leisa Goddard and Adoni Media for future campaign promotion. I knew Leisa's work with Channels 7 and 10 and after a brief meeting with her, I was convinced that Adoni was the right fit for what we needed, and that Adoni wanted to partner with us to see great outcomes for people doing it tough.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The brief to Adoni Media was threefold:

1. Help pitch local stories to local media outlets
2. Get traction on our main research piece in mainstream media
3. Help us get the word out about our new Digital Doorknock

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Adoni were able to help us grow our media engagement via their extensive contacts throughout the QLD media landscaps and we experienced growth in the number of opportunities we received to share about our Christmas and Red Shield Appeal campaigns.

Our National Media team was extremely happy with the results we received for the money that was spent.

A particular highlight was during our Christmas campaign, when it became clear that we were seeing a significant drop in toy donations due to the recent Bushfire crisis, Adoni were able to secure opportunities for us to tell our story on TV news, long-form radio interview and in the print media.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Leisa and her team is professional, connected, prepared to get to know you and your business and work hard to open up opportunities to tell your story.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Adoni have also above and beyond to help us stretch our dollar as far as possible and I believe that we've established a relationship that will bear much fruit over the coming years as we continue to work closely together.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm Head of Marketing at Chicken Treat, an iconic Australian chicken brand with a network of over 55 stores across the country. SInce 1976 we've been serving up lip smacking rotisserie chicken, burgers, fried chicken and sides for those in need of a 'soul food saviour.'

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Adoni Media?

Being an unconventional brand we like to offer items you can't buy at other restaurants. Food trends show people are obsessed with Frankenfood creations so our strategy was to create an Australian-first – a donut burger using our full breast fillet, two donuts to replace the bun, and a delicious combination of cola BBQ sauce and cheese to offer dinner and dessert in one bite.

What were your goals for this project?

Create hype and excitement to persuade fast food lovers to visit Chicken Treat during the stunt campaign period and purchase a donut burger. Surprise and delight our customers with an unique taste experience.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Adoni had produced on our 'Chicken Heroes' brand repositioning project but never on a menu campaign so we keen to see if they could deliver similar results for the Donut Burger.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Adoni structured a campaign to create two different news hits.

PHASE ONE: WA’s greatest job Create a news opportunity in the lead up to the product launch to create hype around it.

We decided to hire four 'burger taste testers' to help put the finishing touches on the product before it appeared in stores. It was the perfect opportunity to create a news story about “Western Australia’s greatest job”.

The job ad went live and hours later, our media release was sent. It attracted coverage far and wide, starting with a minute and a half on WA’s leading news organisation, Channel 7 News at both 4pm and 6pm and gained extensive online attention across Western Australia. Social media had a blast with it and the coverage attracted almost a thousand job applications in just three days.

Clearly there was interest in this new product, even though it was clouded in secrecy. We hadn’t revealed what the tasters were testing, just stating it was a new burger set to launch in a fortnight.

PHASE TWO: The donut burger launches On the same day the donut burger launched to market, we created a media event. Journalists were invited to a Chicken Treat restaurant where they could interview CEO Mimma Battista and speak to the two successful applicants of the “Greatest Job in WA”. They would also have an opportunity to get photographs and vision of the donut burger and try it for themselves.

We also organised to shoot a Video News Release so we could send the story to regional areas across WA and in Queensland where Chicken Treat restaurants are located. It led to coverage across both States, including these two TV stories which aired in Bunbury and Rockhampton.

As well as localised stories, journalists love controversy and the donut burger happened to launch the same day the Australian Medical Association held a media conference about obesity. The burger prompted some lively comment from the head of the AMA which just led to more conversation and further coverage across news media.

The story featured in all three metro commercial television networks and regional TV news, had a near-full page in the West Australian newspaper with a great photo, and numerous online articles which ran nationally and internationally.

We also arranged for the burgers to be delivered to talkback radio station 6PR so the Drive presenter and producers could try it on air. Social media hailed the launch of the burger “marketing genius” and the extensive media coverage ensured people knew about the Donut burger (which quickly sold out as a result).

It also created long-lasting brand recognition for Chicken Treat and solidified its personality as a “jester brand”, one that has fun and creates quirky products that people love to talk about.

What was the team composition?

The Adoni team was led by Sarah Best, Communications Manager in WA on the ground, supported by Leisa, Addoni Managing Director. The Chicken Treat team was Senior Brand Manager Andrea Slinger and CEO Mimma Battista supported by our marketing and operations team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

In two weeks, we achieved 30 stories, with an audience reach of more than 882,000 people across Western Australia and Queensland. The story even attracted international attention from London’s Daily Mail. The coverage was worth more than $115,000.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project required a lot of coordination and meetings given the amount of stakeholders. Adoni were very thorough with their process and communication with our team to bring the project together.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their content and production quality was solid as was their ability to generate and deliver local and national PR across the pre-launch and launch phases.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We were very satisfied with their work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was an unknown adventurer with a story to tell. I required media coverage for the purpose of exposure, which led to building a profile.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Adoni Media?

As a solo upcoming adventurer, new to the world of media, press releases, interviews and connections, I needed a tried, tested and proven media team, who had my best interest at heart. I was naïve, green, untrained and clueless in the arena of media. The Adoni Media team - led by Leissa Goddard, were warmly welcomed by me to source pre and post interviews, gain exposure and to begin to build a profile.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted to secure exposure on prime TV, newspapers and magazines to introduce me to the Australian population to inspire and motivate them to tap into their own untapped potential.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I was lucky enough to secure a one on one meeting with Leisa, after a warm introduction from a one of her happy clients.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After several one on one's and briefings over the phone, Leisa and her team devised a plan to produce a podcast to include interviews with my personal friends and sponsors. After an awesome introductory interview, following interviews were then to released in stages - during my row across the Atlantic ocean. This kept the public engagement active. There were several interviews with newspapers including The Australian, prior to my actual departure. The interviews post row - were booked back to back on a tight schedule, managed by Adoni Media. The first interview took place just several hours of me stepping ashore, after 68 days at sea. Coverage included live crossovers from Antigua during prime time slots with Sunrise, Today show, ABC TV. There was a host of radio interviews for leading stations - ABC, The Alan Jones Show and others. Later, magazine stories were secured by Adoni with Prevention magazine, Hills to Hawkesbury and That's Life. We also enjoyed a live slot with Alan Jones on Jones and Co - skye as well as Studio 10.

What was the team composition?

The beauty of my Adoni team was consistency. With warm, engaging and efficient crews made of 4, I was looked after, guided and mentored during the whole process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

This project equated to an enormous amount of exposure across all major medians. 217 media items, audience reach of 3.5 million people with an advertising sales rate of $1.3 million. These figures blew me away and superseded my expectations by a long shot. The outcome of the figures increased my exposure locally, nationally and internationally.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Management of my project was handled over the phone and via emails. They exercised flexibility to fit in with my schedule and were always interested in how I felt with the process, along the way.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was amazed constantly at the connections and industry relationships they have, which said a lot to me about the credibility and reputation. I loved working with a talented team of women who each met every task with genuine interest, care and concern about the objectives and our goals. I simply would not go anywhere else for my PR needs. They even helped me out on some personal matters with sound advice and again, sincere concern - for my well being.

Are there any areas for improvement?

For me - I wouldn't change a thing. I felt completely safe in the Adoni Media team hands. Professional, confident and savvy operators who do it so seemingly easy to my naked eye. I was aware of the logistical challenges to tee up my post race interviews and the coordination of locking in every interview. They had time zones to contend with - which they did with a smile every time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of WeDrive Pty Ltd, an app-based client and vehicle transfer service.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Adoni Media?

We wanted to improve our website’s visibility through SEO, provide relevant content to our users, and recruit more drivers to meet increased client demand. Our leadership also required media training to prepare for future growth. We engaged Adoni Media to provide digital marketing strategy and training services for our team.

What were your goals for this project?

We are looking to expand our brand into new markets with the goal of going national. We wanted a digital marketing partner that would produce ad campaigns for us on a regular basis.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I reached out to multiple local vendors, and none of them had the right feel for a potential partnership. We needed someone who’d work with our small size and budget without sacrificing service. When we met with Leisa (Founder and Managing Director, Adoni Media) and her team, they brainstormed innovative yet realistic solutions to our problems on the spot. That and their professionalism impressed us from the beginning.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We first held meetings to make our company focus and project goals as clear as possible. Adoni Media then provided plans for a series of ad campaigns with specific timelines and budgets. The team designed these campaigns to broaden brand awareness, grow our client base, and increase our driver recruitment efforts. They combined digital and traditional marketing efforts into an integrated strategy. Once we approved it, Adoni Media implemented the ad campaign. We continue to use their digital strategy services.

For media training, Adoni Media utilized an in-house cameraman to give our leadership team real-world experience. Our leadership gained the confidence to handle future media encounters. Adoni Media also provides support on small issues. When the ‘Book Now’ function on our site failed—and our web developer was not available—their team jumped in and fixed it immediately.

What was the team composition?

We work with a variety of in-house experts ranging from content writers and SEO specialists to front- and backend developers and media presenters.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

App downloads increased beyond expectations, and our site has achieved first ranking organically in search engines results. We’ve broadened our brand awareness, bringing in requests from areas we haven’t even reached out to yet. We attribute that success directly to Adoni Media’s efforts.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Adoni Media organizes each project into clear workflows, allowing both teams to tailor and tweak as needed. They adhere to our budgets and deadlines. I can also reach out to their team members at any time—even for face-to-face meetings—to discuss strategies and timelines.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I admire the team’s in-depth knowledge and willingness to share it. They’re more than happy to explain their ideas in layperson’s terms and empower us to take full advantage of their strategies.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would have preferred faster results at times, but Adoni Media consistently delivers high-quality work within their projected timeframes.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the director of marketing and communications at a tourism company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Adoni Media?

We hired them to provide media training for our executive leadership, who would manage a press pack of over 170 persons associated with the official royal visit to Fraser Island.   

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to increase media coverage and improve our ability to manage media interviews.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found them on LinkedIn.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Adoni Media provided on-camera media training, interview skills, and general advice regarding media relations. They also filmed and edited a video news release for distribution to the major networks.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a media trainer, a camera person, and a video editor.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our business has received ongoing benefits from engaging Adoni Media for this project. We had successful media interviews, increased media coverage, and new presentation techniques and manuals. This has been one of the highest ROI contracts I have engaged in my career. I would recommend Adoni Media's services to any company or spokesperson looking to take their media and PR game to the next level.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was excellent.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Leisa (Managing Director, Adoni Media) is a total pro who executes with precision at lightning speed. She is a dream to work with and can relate to leaders at all levels.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There’s nothing to improve, but we definitely want more follow-up services. Perhaps they could have offerings for younger PR members in a team.