Where it all began

Twenty-five years ago, I started Kate Hannemann Marketing & Publicity (as it was known then) from a small room in Kent Town, Adelaide, with a couple of clients and no support team.

At just 24 years of age I had plenty of determination and energy to launch into the world of consulting and to do things differently. Blending PR and marketing had been intrinsic to my short career at that point – one that involved consulting and marketing roles in the arts.

I collaborated with marketeers, PRs, event designers, graphic designers and web developers spawning the inclusion of ‘et al’ (meaning “and others”) in our name.

Together, we worked on larger clients and projects offering each other the full suite of marketing and communications services. This remains true for communikate et al today, except that most of these skills now exist within the team. Plus there has been the growing prominence of digital and brand development and the increased demand for stakeholder engagement.

Memories of the early days

In the very early days we worked with all manner of artists including David Helfgott, Leigh Warren, Paul McDermott and Movin’ Melvin Brown.

Other highlights included:

  • Standing poolside with swimming legend Laurie Lawrence watching babies swim
  • Blessing cars for TeamVodafone in the lead up to Clipsal
  • Ferrying around new-found reality TV idols as they raised money for Ronald McDonald House
  • Hosting film directors and actors for film launches
  • And much more…

While we have worked with well over 100 high profile artists, politicians, sportspeople and leaders, some of the most rewarding projects have been the myriad of lesser known individuals and organisation across industries, communities and corporate settings. Those who we have had the honour to lift up from under the radar to have a thriving reputation that supports them to grow.

It continues to be an honour to be trusted by leaders and boards alike in both their most vulnerable times and when on the verge of their most exciting opportunities. We have always taken our partnerships seriously.

Kick starting careers

Nurturing careers was an early goal which is why we created the Work Experience Volunteer (WEV) program 20 years ago. Many of our past and present team started their career through this career kick starting program. Plus, we have always had a genuine desire to see people fast track their career through exposure to an eclectic suite of clients, myriad of experiences and the opportunity to work with me to manage the business.

From then to now

So much has changed across 25 years, but there is also much that has remained the same – namely our focus on:

  • Our grounded team
  • Our tenacity around creating real results
  • Our desire to improve and progress
  • Our love of genuine client relationships

Thank you to all those who have played a part in communikate et al so far – we know we are only as good as our team, our clients, suppliers and all those who surround us. We are looking forward to a year of reflecting both on the last 25 years while looking ahead at the next 25!