Name: Mel McCaig

Title:  Account Manager, Copywriter

How long have you been at communikate?

20 years (on and off!)

What path led you to communikate et al?

After graduating from school, I studied Marketing at RMIT in Melbourne and worked in various in-house marketing roles, but I couldn’t shake my passion for music. At the age of 23, I threw it all in, got a waitressing job and went off to study music.

In 2000, I won an audition to study a Bachelor of Music at the Elder Conservatorium, so I took the plunge and moved to Adelaide ‘for three years’. My Melbourne mates were horrified! But it was the best thing I ever did. I instantly fell in love with the creative energy of this town (helped by the fact that I arrived in the middle of Fringe and Festival season).

I joined CK as a work experience volunteer in 2005, supporting the team on publicity for the Come Out festival (now Dream Big festival). I  learned everything there was to know about securing a story in mainstream and arts media, and I was completely hooked! To this day, I still get a thrill when I see one of our clients in the paper.

Since then, my singing career has taken me on many adventures away from ‘office’ life, but I’ve always come back to my CK family. Combining my love of communications with a career as professional musician is a juggle, and one I’m privileged to have.

What first sparked your interest in the work you do today?

I’ve always loved words.  When I was at school we did an assignment that involved recounting a historical event in the style of a news article, and the teacher thought I’d copied mine from somewhere (this was pre-internet!)

And I always wanted to be Jana Wendt (again– showing my age!).

I didn’t know what a journalist was, but I realise now it was about story telling for me.

I’m not involved in publicity much these days but I’m still telling stories, in all kinds of ways.

What do you most enjoy about your job?

It’s so geeky but I absolutely love the written word.

Crafting any piece of content, be it a strategic brand story or a pithy social post, I seriously get a kick out of the rhythm and the colour of the words (am I weird?!)

I gain so much satisfaction from hearing clients say that we “get them” and that we’ve had a positive impact on their road to success.

 What do you have a reputation for within the communikate et al office?

I’m bit of a straight shooter (ie opinionated and bossy!)

If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Compassionate

Feisty

Over-thinker (is that two words?!)

What’s a client or project you’re most proud of in your career?

There really are so many. But a recent one I’m proud of is the St Mary’s College campaign. I love how the words, the design and the execution of this work perfectly reflects the research and the strategy. And the best part is it that it smashed the objectives in terms of driving awareness and enquiries.

What would be your dream client or project?

I can’t stand to see children suffering. If I could, I’d gather up every vulnerable child and bring them home for cuddles and love. I just want to be everybody’s Mum!

I’ve worked with a number of clients in the not-for-profit sector, particularly those supporting children and families. It feels good to know that I’m contributing in some small way, to their messages being heard. It’s not enough, but they’re the projects that feel really worthwhile.