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Creativity matters for small businessesBass Coast business owners received tips and insights on how to better promote their businesses as part of this year’s Gippsland Small Business Festival’s feature event ‘Why Creativity Matters in Marketing’, with guest speaker Dee Madigan. By Portal Admin - 4th September 2017 - Back to News Hosted by Bass Coast Shire Council and held at the Phillip Island RSL on Wednesday morning, Dee spoke about the importance of being creative, original and being unafraid of pushing boundaries when marketing your business.
Dee presented at six locations across Gippsland as this year’s ‘roadshow speaker’,and Bass Coast recorded the highest attendance of them all, with 88 small business owners and employees from across Bass Coast Shire enjoying the event and networking opportunity.
Dee Madigan is an award-winning Creative Director with over 20 years’ experience and runs her own advertising agency, Campaign Edge, working with some of the world’s biggest brands including HSBC, Diet Coke, Johnson and Johnson, Rexona and Nestle.
She has extensive social marketing experience ranging from Federal Government campaigns, to the National Heart Foundation, the Cancer Council and the Australian Breast Cancer Institute. Most recently she was Creative Director for the ALP’s 2015 Queensland election campaign.
Dee is a panelist on the ABC’s Gruen Transfer, a contributor on Sunrise and Studio 10, as well as a political commentator on Sky TV News and The Perrett Report.
She also writes for a range of publications including The Drum, Mamamia, The Daily Telegraph and The Herald Sun, and is the author of The Hard Sell, and a contributing author on Mothermorphosis and Perspectives on Change.
The Gippsland Small Business Festival is now in its fourth year with over 20 events being held across Gippsland throughout August and the first week of September Council also hosted the Bass Coast Business Awards, small business mentoring sessions and a Digital Engagement Implentation workshop as part of the Festival.
The Gippsland Small Business Festival is a regional partner festival of the Victorian Small Business Festival.
Gippsland Small Business Festival guest speaker Dee Madigan (centre) with Bass Coast Shire Council’s Paul Buckley, Cr Stephen Fullarton, Emilie Barkley and Peter Francis.
For more information contact:
Simone Short
communications officer
t (03) 5671 2703 | f (03) 5671 2222 | m 0400 804 187
e s.short@basscoast.vic.gov.au
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: support@gippsland.com

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East Gippsland Water has announced winners of its National Water Week poster competition, celebrating young artists who showcased creativity and water conservation awareness under the theme "Water Heroes: Save Every Drop." - Paynesville Classic Boat Rally and Gippsland Lakes Boat Show unite for national boating weekend 27 February to 1 March 2026
East Gippsland Shire Council is supporting the Paynesville Classic Boat Rally and Gippsland Lakes Boat Show, bringing classic vessels, parades, cruises, and foreshore entertainment to a national boating weekend. - East Gippsland Rail Trail upgraded and officially opened, boosting tourism, and local economy across the 96km trail
The final 11.46 km of the East Gippsland Rail Trail is complete, fully resurfaced, and open, boosting tourism, supporting local businesses, and providing a high-quality recreational asset for the community. - East Gippsland Shire Mayor, Cr Jodie Ashworth's Christmas message
A Christmas message celebrating East Gippsland’s community spirit, kindness and connection, encouraging care for one another, support for local businesses, warm hospitality for visitors, gratitude for workers this season together. - Danny O’Brien says July-September 2025 data shows Labor continues failing Gippsland’s critical emergency response
Ambulance Victoria data shows Gippsland response times well below targets, with urgent calls for the Allan Labor government to improve staffing, resources, and performance to protect regional communities. - Danny O’Brien urges AusNet to improve reliability amid Gippsland’s frequent power outages and rising costs
Danny O’Brien has criticised ongoing Gippsland power outages, urging AusNet to improve reliability as households, farms and businesses face disruptions, rising costs, and increased reliance on expensive diesel generators. - Danny O'Brien slams Labor's repeated 'Better Roads Blitz' claims as Gippsland roads continue crumbling
Nationals MP Danny O'Brien has slammed Labor's latest "Better Roads Blitz," saying Gippsland roads remain neglected, unsafe, and underfunded, with locals enduring potholes, hazards, and long-term speed reductions instead of real maintenance. - South Gippsland Council partners with Volunteering Gippsland to support and deliver community training across Gippsland libraries and hubs
Council, with Volunteering Gippsland and regional councils, offers free community training at Korumburra Library, covering volunteer management, strategic planning, and partnership building across Gippsland. - Darren Chester urges Gippslanders to support local growers, highlighting family-owned 'Get Fresh Gippsland' business
Darren Chester is urging Gippslanders to support local growers this Christmas, highlighting family-run Get Fresh Gippsland for supplying fresh, locally grown produce while strengthening the regional economy.
- Victorian Health Department sets Gippsland priorities, access, workforce, safety, shared services, and mental health expansion
The Victorian Department of Health has set four Gippsland health priorities: access, workforce, safety, and shared services, while highlighting mental health needs and significant workforce investment at Warragul's regional health leaders' forum. - Latrobe City Council and Gippsland partners launch 'No Filter: Real Stories' vaping prevention campaign created by and for young people
Latrobe City Council, with Gippsland councils and GRPHU, launches No Filter: Real Stories, a youth-designed vaping prevention campaign sharing honest, relatable local experiences to reduce harm and empower Gippsland young people. - South Gippsland Shire Council extends footpath trading permits amid system update and upcoming fee changes
South Gippsland Shire Council is updating its Footpath Trading Permit system. Current permits are automatically extended until December, with new fees applying next year. Businesses will receive updated information once finalised. - Forge Theatre handed to community for IMMERSIVE takeover and East Gippsland Creative Summit launch on 28 March 2026
IMMERSIVE hands East Gippsland’s Forge Theatre to the community for a month, culminating in the Creative Summit, celebrating local creativity, collaboration, and connection while bringing the Shire’s Culture and Creativity Strategy to life. - Mayor Rochelle Halstead honoured with MAV 10-year Service Award for her dedication to local government
Bass Coast Mayor Cr Rochelle Halstead has received the MAV 10-Year Service Award, recognising her decade of dedicated leadership, advocacy, and commitment to strengthening local government and the Bass Coast community. - Chairo and Heyfield students gain real-world political insights through engaging discussions with Darren Chester
Federal MP Darren Chester met Year 5-6 students in Traralgon and Canberra, discussing democracy, global affairs, law-making and political life, with students showing strong curiosity and insight during engaging civil conversations. - West Gippsland CMA reflects on 2025, planning ahead and celebrating partnerships shaping healthy Gippsland landscapes with CMAs
West Gippsland CMA's final 2025 episode, CEO Marty Fuller reflects on achievements, partnerships and future projects, sharing how CMAs and communities work together to care for Country and healthy landscapes nationwide. - Eat Drink Play Gippsland celebrates food, wine, music and stories that showcase the region's vibrant spirit
Eat Drink Play Gippsland blends local wine, food, and stories with live music, chats with growers, family fun, and creative experiences celebrating the region's vibrant culture and community spirit. - Danny O’Brien urges Gippsland South women to participate in free BreastScreen Victoria program for early breast cancer detection
Gippsland South MP Danny O’Brien urges women aged 50-74 to use free BreastScreen Victoria services, improving early detection, reversing post-pandemic screening declines, and saving lives. - East Gippsland celebrates community contributions at 2026 Australia Day Awards with Dr Patrick Kinsella as Ambassador
East Gippsland’s 2026 Australia Day Awards, hosted 21 January at Lakes Entrance, will honour residents’ contributions with Dr Patrick Kinsella as Ambassador, featuring live entertainment, barbecue, and community celebration. - Gippsland's diverse landscapes and bold winemakers offering flavours as varied and unforgettable as the region itself
From wild coastlines to rugged ranges, Gippsland delivers bold landscapes and diverse wines. At Eat Drink Play Gippsland, explore unique flavours, passionate winemakers, and stories bottled across this Switzerland-sized wine region. - Darren Chester praises TAFE Gippsland and BRHS partnership for training local students to strengthen regional health workforce
Darren Chester praised TAFE Gippsland and BRHS for training local students, highlighting regional partnerships as key to addressing health workforce shortages and encouraging young people to pursue local health careers. - South Gippsland Remembrance Day services to be held in various locations and other council updates
South Gippsland marks Remembrance Day on 11 November with local services honouring veterans. Plus, free green waste disposal, festive giving initiatives, business support, community events, and engagement opportunities across the region this spring. - Entries close for Darren Chester's 14th #lovegippsland Calendar showcasing iconic scenes across Gippsland
Entries have closed for Darren Chester's 14th #lovegippsland Calendar, with 344 stunning photos submitted capturing Gippsland's iconic landscapes. Winners will feature in the free 2026 calendar, distributed later this year. - Community-led partnerships restore Kugerungmome/Powlett River catchment health on Bunurong Country, from source to sea
Community, Traditional Owners and agencies are restoring the Kugerungmome/Powlett River, delivering $1 million in on-ground works to protect culture, biodiversity and water quality across a 50,000-hectare catchment on Bunurong Country.
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