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MEDIA RELEASE
Video production company, Visual Domain, was engaged by online luxury handbag business She Lion to bring to life an ambitious project to support local, showcasing the resilience of small business owners during trying times.
The YouTube film features small businesses from Melbourne and Sydney who are committed to business survival and riding out the pandemic. More than 20 small business owners collaborated together to back themselves and each other in an uplifting and inspiring ‘support local’ project.
The concept is an end-to-end Australian supply chain for a new range of garments made from natural fibers, with as many processes as possible completed in Melbourne. 22 small businesses banded together to create 100 percent cotton, Australian milled and manufactured unbrushed fleece, soft-washed, dyed, sampled, graded, screen printed, embroidered, constructed and sewn sweatshirts emblazoned with the words ‘Actually, I Can’ and ‘Support Local’.
Visual Domain was responsible for the creative direction and production of the 10-minute film, which launched this month. Co-founder and CEO of Visual Domain, Renece Brewster said she hopes the stories will help consumers to understand the importance of truly supporting local, particularly during a time when businesses are hurting due to lockdowns.
“The grit and determination that was demonstrated in such a time of uncertainty, anxiety and fear I could truly understand, and it made bringing this incredible story to life very personal,” Brewster said.
Founder of She Lion and the driving force behind the project, Kate Dillion, said the concept was born during the height of Melbourne’s longest lockdown in July 2020. Her goal was to empower and motivate customers to shop local, while directly supporting Sydney and Melbourne manufacturers and businesses.
“We were in the middle of a two-week lockdown in March 2020 that turned into almost six months. The collective mood across Melbourne was pretty depressing. The inspiration actually came about after I posted an image of myself in an empowering slogan tee. I received so many positive comments and recognised I could create something to support Melbourne makers AND offer a pick-me-up to my own customers,” Dillon said.
“Most Australian consumers will have little understanding of how many different businesses are involved in the supply chain of any garment. Even if an item is designed, and constructed in Australia, it is very often milled, cut, dyed, graded, and sampled offshore as labour costs can be far cheaper. To truly ‘support local’, each and every element in the manufacturing process should be kept in Australia, and that’s exactly what we did,” she said.
“It’s really exciting to see that the message has already resonated with so many Australians. The campaign is gaining so much traction and momentum, and I love seeing people supporting businesses when they need it most by donning the sweatshirts created right here in Melbourne,” she said
About Visual Domain
Visual Domain works with leading brands as their partner in production. As Australia’s largest in-house production team, Visual Domain delivers first-class personalised service all under one roof. For more than 12 years, the business leads with its people, product, and platform to produce world-class content for the country’s leading brands and companies including REA Group, SEEK, NAB, Jetstar, CUB, iSelect, Bupa, Football Australia, Linfox, MYOB and Deliveroo. For more information, visit www.visualdomain.com.au
