Neil Lawrence

Neil Lawrence is the CEO and founder of Lawrence Creative Strategy and Executive Creative Director of STW, Australia's largest communications group.

Biographical note
A biographical note states that Lawrence was "the strategic and creative mind behind the successful 'Kevin 07' advertising campaign. His work for Kevin Rudd and the Australian Labor Party was recognised by The Australian newspaper, which awarded him the 'Australian Marketer of the Year' in 2007. In 2009, Neil was responsible for the marketing campaigning behind Anna Bligh's successful bid to be elected Australia's first female Premier. His work combines creative flair with a deep understanding of highly complex, strategic political and corporate issues. This approach has also been used on corporate positioning and merger and acquisition campaigns for clients such as Wesfarmers, AGL, and BHP Billiton. More recently, he worked with the Football Federation of Australia's bid strategy for the nation's bid to win hosting rights for the 2018-2022 FIFA World Cup, and was the Creative Director of the launch film ... He is on the board of Governors of the Centenary Research Institute and is Chairman of the Centenary Foundation."

Another biographical note states that he was a "social worker before he fell into copywriting, he's worked as a creative director in Australia and overseas." It also states that aside from the campaigns for Bligh and Rudd he has also worked for the Minerals Council of Australia. "Neil likes boxing, surfing, playing bluegrass guitar quite badly and wandering in the rainforest at the family retreat near Jamberoo," it states.

Working for the miners


Lawrence was one of the architects of the "Let's cut emissions, not jobs" advertising campaign for the Australian Coal Association opposing the introduction of an emissions trading scheme. (Along with Geoff Denman, a partner in Lawrence Creative Strategy, the Liberal PR and lobbying firm, Crosby Textor, were also working on the campaign. )

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Australia and coal

External articles

 * Bernard Keane, "Australian Coal Association: climate change is happening and fast", Crikey, November 12, 2008.
 * Lenore Taylor, "Coalminers recruit Kevin 07 guru Neil Lawrence to shaft ETS", The Australian, September 25, 2009.
 * David Hollier, "The Ads Are About To Get Worse", New Matilda, September 28, 2009.
 * Geoff Elliott and Sarah-Jane Tasker, "Kevin 07 adman joins big miners' fight", The Australian, May 21, 2010.
 * Ross Cameron, "Choked by a knot of his own tying", Opinion, Sydney Morning Herald, June 21, 2010.