Dixie Marshall

Dixie Marshall's Biography

Dixie Marshall walked away from a glamorous 27 year career as a senior television newsreader and journalist, to enter the brutal contact sport of politics.

As the Director of Strategic Communications and Media for the Barnett Government in Western Australia for six years until 2017, working from the Office of the Premier, Dixie oversaw a $50 million dollar advertising budget, advised the Premier and Cabinet on all significant communication initiatives and strategies, and devised, implemented and oversighted a coordinated whole of government communication framework – proactive and reactive, traditional, social and digital, signage and branding…the first time a synchronised framework was ever adopted across the whole of WA Government.

She fundamentally changed the way a state government delivered its stories, and insisted the significance of communications was elevated to the cabinet table.

Dixie drove and developed a number of WA first campaigns – from “Are You Ready?” for bushfire preparedness, to the WA state brand of “Worth Sharing”, and the controversial “Bigger Picture” story which would stretch across all major projects, education, police, planning, regions and transport.

Dixie was in the leadership team for two state elections – one was a landslide victory, the other a thumping defeat.

Along the way Dixie was applauded as an inspiration by many in the local advertising industry, while copping her fair share of criticism from politicians (mostly on her own side) for being too fierce and uncompromising, and perhaps a little disrespectful.

It was a massive shift from the role and reputation she had forged as a TV newsreader for the Nine Network, and before that as a sports commentator and the first woman boundary rider for the Seven Network.  Dixie has hosted a national TV sports show (with Bruce McAvaney), won awards for journalism across TV and newspapers, and been a Commissioner for Tourism WA.

Dixie is now head of creative and partnerships for the Story Lab, part of the global media agency Dentsu Aegis. She is a much sought after speaker whose compelling, engaging and insightful range of presentations will inspire, motivate, inform and entertain any audience.

Recent accomplishments:

• Establish the WA office of the Story Lab, part of Dentsu Aegis’ global media agency network.
• From the Office of the Premier, ensure the prudent management of the WA Government’s $50 million advertising budget.
• Oversee the creation of a brand for Western Australia “WA – worth sharing” aims to position Western Australia agriculture at the premium end of the Asian food market, increase the sector’s competitiveness, export and domestic demand, and support expanded overseas investment in the sector. The brand has now been adopted by the government’s innovation unit: “Innovation – worth sharing”.
• Devise and deliver the WA Government’s first ever bushfire preparedness communications campaign – “Are You Ready?”, and then refresh it annually.
• Devise and deliver whole of government approach to signage and branding.
• Devise and deliver the “Get The Bigger Picture” advertising campaign. An Australian first, across government campaign, which began with Bigger Picture Major Projects, and later incorporated Bigger Picture Health, Bigger Picture Education, Bigger Picture Regions, and Bigger Picture Police.
• Devise and deliver the WA Government’s first co-ordinated advertising campaign for TAFE – incorporating 13 training providers.
• Devise and deliver an Australian-first approach to road safety advertising, using research based evidence to target the attitudes of drivers along with their behaviours.
• Devise and deliver an across government communications campaign for transport. For the first time, “Smart Transport” coordinates the message for Main Roads, DoT, and PTA.
• Devise and deliver a WA Government News website and social media strategy.

Speaking Topics Include

• How good communications can solve any problem…..well, just about any problem.
• The crazy story of the TV newsreader who decided to try politics.
• Modern politics – a contact sport.
• Media and politics – an insider’s view.
• Yes – it is different for women.
• How to negotiate a career change, and why it’s worth the effort.