The Commute is a pocket-sized agency in Frankston, VIC and Balclutha, NZ with a whole lot of heart.
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โ๏ธ Just a quick heads up: The Commute will be closed from the 8th to the 21st of October. Nick is going to have a couple of weeks off overseas with his hubby.
The books look pretty full until then, but if you have any odd jobs coming up, let us know, and we can see if they can be squeezed in! ๐ค
๐๐ช๐ป
Unbelievably proud of this film we wrote and produced for Clutha NZ and The Catlins โค๏ธ
SIX60 are coming to Te Pou ล Mata-Au - Clutha District War Memorial & Community Centre!
TW: depre**ion, su**ide, alcoh**ism
๐ณ๏ธโ๐๐ณ๏ธโโง๏ธ Today is the International Day Against LGBTQIA+ Discrimination. Itโs a day of reflection for many in the q***r community.
Growing up in small town New Zealand, I was bullied, excluded and se*ually harassed for being who I was. I was only 9 years old when I heard my first slur in primary school and this followed me all the way through my 20โs. For many, this is a familiar storyline. It took me down a dark road of depr**sion, alc*hol ab*se and attempts to take my own life. Every day, I am grateful for the life I share with my beautiful family and the support systems that have helped me move forward.
When I started The Commute, I wanted to give back to q***r youth so we could help end LGBTQIA+ discrimination for the next generation.
Each month, we donate a portion of our earnings to Minus18. Over the past few years, we have donated over $5,000 in sales to this wonderful organisation.
As a pocket-sized business, we may never be able to sign off a dreamy six-figure over-sized cheque. But we will continue to do what we can, because their work matters.
Every person has the right to be their most authentic self. If you want to learn more about IDAHOBIT and show your support for the incredible Minus18, check out the link below.
https://minus18.org.au
Nick โค๏ธ
Loved editing this reel for Clutha NZ and The Catlins ๐
Now, here's something worth celebrating! ๐ Since we kicked off our pocket-sized agency in 2020, we have donated over $30k of funds and resources to some incredible initiatives in our community.
๐ณ๏ธโ๐ Minus18
๐ The Indigenous Literacy Foundation
๐ค Te Pou ล Mata-Au - Clutha District War Memorial & Community Centre
We couldn't have done it without your continued support โค๏ธ
https://thecommute.co
Had such a great time shooting this in sunny Sydney. Thanks The Pool Co
"What's your deal?"... I know, right!?
The Commute is a digital creative agency based in Cheltenham, Melbourne. We work with awesome small-medium businesses all over Australia and New Zealand. Our clients stick around because we understand the sweet spot between strategy, creativity and authenticity. Our team is intentionally small and mighty, and we proudly give back a portion of all projects to support outstanding community-focused organisations.
Enough spiel. Which areas do we love to play in?
๐ข Brand Strategy
๐จ Brand Design
๐คฉ Logo Design
๐ Strategic Planning
๐น Videography
๐๏ธ Graphic Design
๐ฌ Video Editing
๐บ Content Creation
๐คณ Social Media Management
๐ป Website Development
Getting a good vibe from us? Lock in a free half-hour catch-up, and let's see if something sparks. โค๏ธ
https://thecommute.co/book
'On location' is our happy place. โค๏ธ๐ธ
https://thecommute.co
We're calling it. The hustle is dead. ๐ชฆ
We're not here to mourn its loss. Hustle has been eating us all alive for far too long. It had a good run. Instead, we welcome 2024 with a new focus... It's time to ๐ด๐ข๐ถ๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ.
To saunter is to slow down, take a step back, and embrace a more intentional and mindful approach to everything we do. It's about finding joy in the journey rather than constantly chasing after 'the next big trend'.
We live in a world that glorifies 'hustle culture' in small businesses. Enough has never been enough. But it's okay to take a breather, get support, prioritize self-care, set boundaries, give back and focus on what truly matters.
When we saunter, we create space for creativity, imperfection, deep connections, and personal growth.
That's our intention for the new year. To embrace a more balanced and fulfilling way of living that allows us to be present in every moment, to work with people who share our ethos, ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ and find meaning in the everyday.
To every person who has liked, followed, messaged, shared and hired The Commute. Thanks for being awesome and creating a space for us to be ourselves. โค๏ธ
- Nick
https://thecommute.co
It's that time of year, and it comes around like clockwork. Everyone is showcasing their worth with a list of wins or losses from 2023.
Imposter syndrome is rampant, leaving many needing to 'keep up' rather than authentically speaking on their journey.
Remember:
๐๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ฎ ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ต๐, ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐'๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฒ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต. ๐
If not, today's a good day to reflect and make some small changes.
Here's what I will be focusing on this year:
๐ช Radical transparency
๐ต Turning off notifications for social media
โฐ Valuing my time and experience
โค๏ธ Being vulnerable
๐๏ธ Learning how to spell 'January' and 'February' without autocorrect
๐จ Creative breaks
โ๏ธ More tattoos, less f**ks
๐ค Narrowing our product offering focus on projects that "spark joy."
๐ฉผ Caring for my well-being and reducing chronic health problems
๐ Reading, audiobooks and bite-sized learning
๐ซ๐ท Learn new languages (Cette annรฉe, j'aimerais apprendre le japonais)
โญ๏ธ Better showcasing the work we have created
Here are the small business trends I am keen to see the back-end of:
๐ Competitive comparison
๐ Unrealistic expectations
๐ AI-generated "instructional" social media content
๐ Graphic-heavy social posts (the algorithms don't want them, team!)
๐ The phrase "X (formally Twitter)"
๐ Boasty LinkedIn posts
๐ Messy reels and "IckToks"
๐ Trend hopping
๐ Agencies that bolster their team's size to appear "established" (Just an FYI, The Commute has three employees, two casual and one full-time ๐)
For those who are back on deck today, welcome to 2024! For everyone else, have a lovely rest of your break, and I'm excited to see you in our feeds this coming year.
โค๏ธ Nick
"It's the fiiiiinal countdownnnn" ๐น๐ถ
As we prepare for '24, The Commute will be closed for a few stat days this month.
Christmas Eve: Closed
Christmas Day: Closed
Boxing Day: Closed
27 December: Open
28 December: Open
29 December: Open
30 December: Closed
New Year's Eve: Closed
New Year's Day: Closed
2 January: Open
Wishing you and yours a relaxing holiday season while raising our glasses to crowded airports, timeless traditions, matching PJs and sun-drenched summer getaways. โค๏ธ
Every couple of months, Adrian makes the trek down from Sydney to spend a couple of days in the Melbourne studio. We deep dive into the financials, refresh the roadmap, gas bag and of course goof off in the studio. Always a treat. โค๏ธ
https://thecommute.co
We are obsessed with our brand-new home in Cheltenham. ๐ฅฐ
What are we up to at the moment? (Besides working on a backlog of new projects). All the glamorous stuff: completing our fit-out, mounting TVs, moving items to storage, hanging backdrops, and waiting patiently for Google to update our address ๐.
We can't wait to tour you around this epic new business precinct and The Commute's fresh creative studio very soon!
https://thecommute.co
๐ September already! How did that happen? ๐ฎ
Just a quick update while we plan out the remainder of 2023. Bookings for our content studio are now paused until December, while we make the move and get ourselves up and running in our new Cheltenham studio space.
Nick is taking a few weeks leave from mid October, meaning that The Commute will be operating on skeleton staff. We won't be taking on any new bookings during this time, but you're more than welcome to get in touch and we will come back to you in early November! In case of emergencies, Beki will be manning the fort in Nick's absence. ๐
At this stage, we are almost completely booked out for November.
If you want to secure us for anything before the end of the 2023, get in touch now!
https://thecommute.co/
Some very bittersweet news. At the end of this month, The Commute will be saying goodbye to our Frankston Studio and moving into our brand new Cheltenham home, 30 minutes up the road. ๐ฅน
We love you Frankston. Thank-you for allowing us to call you home for the past 3.5 years. โค๏ธ
Watch to learn more.
https://thecommute.co
Te Pou ล Mata-Au - Clutha District War Memorial & Community Centre has been officially opened.
We were lucky enough to capture this monumental occasion yesterday. To date, The Commute has proudly donated over $22k of volunteer resources to this community project. It is something that we hold very close to our hearts.
Congratulations to the TPลMA team!
Just a bit of light reading! ๐๏ธ
Some fresh reference and creative inspiration for the studio, from a team trip to ACMI last week! โค๏ธ
๐ The Story of Art (Without Men) - Katy Hessel
๐ Web Design (The Evoloution of the Digital Work 1990 - Today) - Rob Ford
๐ Creative Spaces - Poketo
๐ Abstract Art (A Global History) - Pepe Karmel
https://thecommute.co/
What pairs well with a season change? Why, a menu change of course! ๐ฅ
It's always a pleasure working with our friends at Oliver's Corner, so when Brendon got in touch to discuss a fresh new menu design, we just couldn't resist.
A clean, sleek design packed full of delicious food and beverages, there is something for everyone. Pop in and check out their fresh new menu, hot off the printers.
https://thecommute.co/
It has been a treat having Shayne and Sophie popping in each week to record their Disability Talk podcast in our Content Studio!
Jump on to your favourite podcast-streaming platform and give them a listen, as they chat with guests and discuss life living with disability.
https://thecommute.co/
A quick trip back to Aotearoa last week. The perfect blend of touristing, family time, catching up with NZ-based clients and soaking up the serenity. โค๏ธ
Te Pou ล Mata-Au - Clutha District War Memorial & Community Centre
Cross Recreation Centre
Construct South
https://thecommute.co/
We love to see it! ๐
This recent video we created for our friends at Feature Pools has garnered over 22k organic views since its launch!
It's easy to see why, with builds this stunning. โค๏ธ
Pool: Feature Pools
Builder: DDB Design
Architect: Robson Rak Architecture & Interiors
Tiles: KLAY Tiles 'Jade Green'
Landscaping Construction: Victorian Landscape Group
Landscaping Architecture: Nathan Burkett Landscape Architecture
Videography: The Commute
https://thecommute.co/
Frankstonians! Have you had a chance to pop into the fabulous Laughing Lark Cafe yet?
We had the pleasure of being asked to create their brand new website and capture some footage of their beautiful space before the big opening day a few months back. Such a great spot to have a cuppa and a bite to eat! โ ๐ฐ
Show them some love by giving them a follow and checking out their delicious menu.
https://thecommute.co/
Our second podcast ep is now live! ๐ง
Nick goes green with Abbie from MINTY Greenhouse - botanical living, diving into the challenges of running a small business while raising a young family and also exchanging battle scars from business-related insomnia. ๐ซ
Abbie also talks about creating a unique and personalised customer experience, and valuable plant care advice. Learn about her favourite aftercare products and get expert tips to ensure your indoor plants thrive! ๐ฑ
Check it out on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, or follow the link below!
https://thecommute.co/links/
We love any opportunity to work with a team that loves what they do! โค๏ธ
Check out these stills from a recent shoot with the lovely folks (and their pup-assistants!) at HWBE in Seaford. ๐ถ
https://thecommute.co/
Hey Kiwis! ๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ Nick will be in Otago for a few days next week. Want to catch up? Flick us a message. โค๏ธ
https://thecommute.co/
Take a peek at our latest campaign with Mihan Aromatics!
Spotlight on Munlark Ash, an arboreal, nostalgic scent which will transport you to an undisturbed clearing amongst an evergreen of fir, cypress and moody skies at dawn.
Cruelty-free and vegan-certified. Designed and developed, hand filled and assembled in Melbourne.
With such an exquisite and delightful aesthetic, this project was a real favourite of ours. A joint collaboration of footage captured by yours truly and Traianos Pakioufakis, who shot the original campaign filmography. The Commute then produced a number of shorts for paid social media placements, which were delivered by our friends at Buttr Marketing.
https://thecommute.co
One from the archive, circa 2022. ๐
Always a pleasure to work with Dearne from Peninsula Wedding Dance, celebrating love of all shapes and sizes. ๐
https://thecommute.co/
So long, Universal Analytics! ๐ Are you ready for the migration?
Just a quick heads up for our clients regarding the upcoming changes to Google Analytics with GA4.
Good news is, if we built your website you are all ready for 1 July.
Drop us a message if you have any questions, or are wondering how these changes might affect your own website. ๐คฏ
https://thecommute.co/
Suite 103 33 Ambrose Avenue, Cheltenham
Melbourne, VIC
3192
| Monday | 9am - 5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 9am - 5pm |
| Friday | 9am - 5pm |
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Did you catch our new 'Stay for Good' film for Clutha NZ and The Catlins that launched last week? This film has been months in the making and was created to encourage folks from all walks of life to live and work in the Clutha District. ๐ Sound On Nick wrote, produced, shot and voiced this one and the campaign holds a special place in our hearts as the majority of our team are born and raised in Clutha. Thanks to everyone who offered their time and got involved in creating this film. Featuring: Clutha NZ and The Catlins Clutha Gold Trail Catlins Tours Cross Recreation Centre Lawrence, Otago, New Zealand The Riviera Cinema Balclutha Te Pou ล Mata-Au - Clutha District War Memorial & Community Centre Night 'n Day Silver Fern Farms Clutha Vets Pets Calder Stewart Milton Hammer Hardware www.thecommute.co
What a month! ๐คฏ Here's just a snippet of the content we curated, edited and produced for our incredible social media clients across Australia and New Zealand in March. A healthy balance of video, static, and graphic content for a diverse range of brands. Strategically planned to drive engagement, chase goals, and encourage authenticity. Give these top-notch accounts a follow and show them some love. Clutha NZ and The Catlins Feature Pools Oliver's Corner The Pool Co For content credits, check out each individual post. โค๏ธ https://thecommute.co
Throwing back to a campaign with our friends Mihan Aromatics. A moody showcase of one of their most popular fragrances. Petrichor Plains. A serendipitous invigoration of wood and earth, asphalt and ash. Cruelty-free and vegan-certified. Designed, developed, hand-filled, and assembled in Melbourne. https://thecommute.co/ A joint collaboration with @ and @. #mihanaromatics #melbournesmallbusiness #victoriasmallbusiness #creategood #cheltenhamdigitalmarketing #melbournevideography #postshootediting #websitedesign #website #videography #content #digitalmarketing #agency #contentproduction #brandstrategy #socialmedia #peninsulamarketing #branding #cheltenham #perfume #parfum #supportlocalbusiness #websitedesign #design #collaborativecampaign #branding #melbournedigitalmarketing #videoproductionlife #contentstudio
Find Your Reason. โค๏ธ It was an absolute privilege to capture this first look at the brand new TPลMA War Memorial Community Centre in Balclutha, New Zealand. Two days of shooting alongside the wonderful Rewa Pene Photography - amounted to hours of high-quality content that the centre can use in future to promote its unique facility. (We also threw together this snazzy campaign reel.) Thank you to all the wonderful Clutha locals who participated in the shoot and the TPลMA team for being so hospitable! Client: Te Pou ล Mata-Au - Clutha District War Memorial & Community Centre https://thecommute.co
Itโs good to be back. โค๏ธ The cup is most definitely overflowing after a couple of weeks kicking around London and France with my better half. Feeling inspired and ready to take on the back half of FY24 in our new Cheltenham studio! 2023 is filling up fast at The Commute. If you are keen to start a project in December, donโt hesitate to reach out. We only have a few spots left. โ Brand identity, Planning and Strategy โ Social Media โ Videography and Content โ Website Development - Nick https://thecommute.co https://thecommute.co
Some very bittersweet news. At the end of this month, The Commute will be saying goodbye to our Frankston Studio and moving into our brand new Cheltenham home, 30 minutes up the road. ๐ฅน We love you Frankston. Thank-you for allowing us to call you home for the past 3.5 years. โค๏ธ Watch to learn more. https://thecommute.co
It has been a treat having Shayne and Sophie popping in each week to record their Disability Talk podcast in our Content Studio! Jump on to your favourite podcast-streaming platform and give them a listen, as they chat with guests and discuss life living with disability. https://thecommute.co/
A quick trip back to Aotearoa last week. The perfect blend of touristing, family time, catching up with NZ-based clients and soaking up the serenity. โค๏ธ Te Pou ล Mata-Au - Clutha District War Memorial & Community Centre Cross Recreation Centre Construct South https://thecommute.co/
We love to see it! ๐ This recent video we created for our friends at Feature Pools has garnered over 22k organic views since its launch! It's easy to see why, with builds this stunning. โค๏ธ Pool: Feature Pools Builder: DDB Design Architect: Robson Rak Architecture & Interiors Tiles: KLAY Tiles 'Jade Green' Landscaping Construction: Victorian Landscape Group Landscaping Architecture: Nathan Burkett Landscape Architecture Videography: The Commute https://thecommute.co/
Our second podcast ep is now live! ๐ง Nick goes green with Abbie from MINTY Greenhouse - botanical living, diving into the challenges of running a small business while raising a young family and also exchanging battle scars from business-related insomnia. ๐ซ Abbie also talks about creating a unique and personalised customer experience, and valuable plant care advice. Learn about her favourite aftercare products and get expert tips to ensure your indoor plants thrive! ๐ฑ Check it out on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, or follow the link below! https://thecommute.co/links/
Take a peek at our latest campaign with Mihan Aromatics! Spotlight on Munlark Ash, an arboreal, nostalgic scent which will transport you to an undisturbed clearing amongst an evergreen of fir, cypress and moody skies at dawn. Cruelty-free and vegan-certified. Designed and developed, hand filled and assembled in Melbourne. With such an exquisite and delightful aesthetic, this project was a real favourite of ours. A joint collaboration of footage captured by yours truly and Traianos Pakioufakis, who shot the original campaign filmography. The Commute then produced a number of shorts for paid social media placements, which were delivered by our friends at Buttr Marketing. https://thecommute.co
One from the archive, circa 2022. ๐ Always a pleasure to work with Dearne from Peninsula Wedding Dance, celebrating love of all shapes and sizes. ๐ https://thecommute.co/
So long, Universal Analytics! ๐ Are you ready for the migration? Just a quick heads up for our clients regarding the upcoming changes to Google Analytics with GA4. Good news is, if we built your website you are all ready for 1 July. Drop us a message if you have any questions, or are wondering how these changes might affect your own website. ๐คฏ https://thecommute.co/
Take a peek at our latest campaign with Mihan Aromatics Mihan Aromatics is an Australian perfume house based out of Melbourne. They produce a curated selection of contemporary androgynous parfums that evoke memory through scent. They honour Australian native ingredients in their complete collection of scents and are ever committed to showcasing Australian botanicals to an international stage. All products are cruelty-free and vegan-certified. Designed and developed, hand filled and assembled in Melbourne. The Commute was engaged to film additional product videography to complement original campaign footage captured by the very talented Traianos Pakioufakis. We then produced a series of cutdowns for paid social media placements, aligning the end advertisements with the impeccable overall aesthetic of the brand. The social ads were then delivered by the fine folks at Buttr. Keep an eye out for more videos from this campaign. https://thecommute.co
Take us back! โ๏ธ๐๐ญ๐ฅถ Client: Feature Pools Project: Social Media Planning, Videography and Photography https://thecommute.co
Feeling like Regina George's Mum at the winter talent show! ๐น๐บ Congratulations to our fabulous clients Feature Pools on their 'feature' in this month's Australian House & Garden magazine. https://thecommute.co
If a picture is worth a thousand words, Oliver's Corner is almost ready to publish a series of encyclopedias... Check out these stills from our latest shoot. Ready to amp up your content? Photography, video, aerial and everything in between. Drop us a line, we are here to help. โบ๏ธ https://thecommute.co
A heartfelt thanks to all those we have been lucky enough to collaborate with this year. Itโs been one for the books. Here are a few projects, moments and highlights from the past 12 months. โค๏ธ https://thecommute.co Bright Property Advocates, Feature Pools, Oliver's Corner, Peninsula Wedding Dance, Ezy Cut Cabinets, Voyager Supply & Print, Ash Marton Realty, Indah Health Studio
โshould be sorted now?โ - Metaโs Director of Policy. Four words, no real apology, no next steps, no actions to improve their systems, no accountability. Watch our latest update on our Meta restriction. Peta Murphy MP Federal Member for Dunkley Australian Human Rights Commission
