Rundle Mall

Building and protecting a premier retail & lifestyle destination’s reputation

The Opportunity

Rundle Mall is the premier retail and lifestyle destination in South Australia, boasting international and national brands, flagship stores and the widest product ranges.

Rundle Mall is managed by the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA), a subsidiary of the City of Adelaide. It represents the diverse interests of property owners and 700 traders to reinforce Rundle Mall as the heart of Adelaide.

communikate et al has been providing corporate PR services to Rundle Mall since July 2018.

Our Approach

We began our relationship with an in-depth workshop to review Rundle Mall’s unique operating landscape, analyse stakeholder needs and review opportunities to engage and promote. 

This informed the development of a PR strategy aimed at building and protecting Rundle Mall’s reputation and strengthening relationships with key stakeholders and media. 

Our strategy aligns with Rundle Mall’s business plan to drive visitors into the Precinct and deliver economic benefits to traders and property owners. 

Working closely with Rundle Mall’s executive manager and marketing manager, we provide strategic advice on key operational issues and develop proactive publicity campaigns that leverage milestones on the retail calendar, the opening of flagship stores and promote the Mall’s partnerships, activations and events. 

The Outcome

With our support, Rundle Mall has become the dominant media voice across all retail trading milestones such as Black Friday, Christmas and Boxing Day sales, and its calendar of events and activations have been leveraged to maximise foot traffic and retail sales. 

Highlights in recent years include:   

  • Making 2022’s Black Friday weekend Rundle Mall’s biggest and busiest yet, with 125 media stories across print, radio, online and TV, totalling $640,000 in PR value 
  • Strategising and coordinating a joint media call with the state’s Deputy Chief Public Health Officer, just days after 2020’s snap state-wide lockdown was lifted, reassuring the public that it was safe to shop in Rundle Mall ahead of the busiest retail weekend of the year (Black Friday) 
  • Putting the Mall top-of-the-list for national and international brands expanding into the South Australian market with relationships built with leading industry publishers and thought leaders 
  • Shining a spotlight on Rundle Mall with national and local media coverage marking the arrival of Salvador Dali’s Triumphant Elephant sculpture – 103 stories, $770,000 of PR value, and 27 million people reached.