Moments that shaped our story.

In 1972, two people left the Peace Corps and founded a company with a central vision: to use social marketing for positive change.

For 50 years, we’ve been doing just that – helping our clients shape their stories, and our people to shape their careers.

1972
Birth of Porter Novelli in Washington, D.C.

Jack Porter and Bill Novelli launched the agency based on the game-changing idea of applying marketing practices to communications aimed at public health and social issues.

1998
United a generation against tobacco with “truth”

Porter Novelli’s anti-tobacco program empowered teens to rebel against the tobacco industry’s deceptive marketing practices, producing the largest single-year decline in teen smoking in the USA in nearly 20 years.

2003
Peter Kent joins Porter Novelli Melbourne as Managing Director

At a time when he was most needed, Peter Kent agreed to make the move to Melbourne to run Porter Novelli Melbourne. He made the move, and 19 years later, we're still thriving!

2005
Gillette x Virgin Australia

In an Australian first, we "wrapped a plane" – the Virgin M3 Power Plane – to launch the new Gillette M3 Power, the first vibrating systems razor.

2005
Mercy Hospital for Women move

Porter Novelli helped Mercy Health move a whole hospital from East Melbourne to Heidelberg, including the transportation of babies in Neonatal Intensive Care cots.

2009
Fight Dementia

We fought dementia with Alzheimer’s Australia – and we won. We raised an army, built a cause and had dementia reinstated as a National Health Priority Area, securing $269.4 million of funding for a disease that touches every Australian in some way.

2009
Bushfires Royal Commission

We supported a range of forestry companies as they submitted and appeared before Victoria's Bushfires Royal Commission following the catastrophic Black Saturday Fires. This Royal Commission had profound implications for Victoria.

2011
The Waubra Wind Farm

We supported ACCIONA in delivering Australia’s most contentious wind farm. Over three years, we secured community support in Waubra, hosted Prime Ministers and MPs, business leaders and local community leaders at ACCIONA sites, all to secure social licence.

2011-2014
Stay Smart Online

We kick-started and managed a four-year journey on behalf of the Australian Government to shift thinking away from the internet being a "scary place", by harnessing the country's biggest companies, schools and community organisations nationwide to help people stay safe and secure on the internet.

2012
FESTofALL

Australia is home to about 380,000 young carers, who all deserve support and recognition. In 2012, we launched 11 major events across Australia, bringing together thousands of young carers, friends and families to be recognised for their contribution, capturing national attention…and an open letter of thanks from Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

2014
Every Greyhound Has A Story

There were more retired greyhounds than people who wanted greyhounds as pets, but our research showed people needed to meet greyhounds to understood them. Our multi-platform “Every Greyhound Has a Story” campaign increased greyhound adoption rates by nearly two-thirds on behalf of the Greyhound Adoption Program in Victoria.

2014-2017
Study Melbourne

Our internationally-awarded work for the Victorian Government made international students heroes, voices, advocates and ambassadors for choosing Melbourne and Victoria as their international study destination. We built an engaged community of more than half a million international students, and confirmed Melbourne as the world’s top study destination at the time.

2015
Djerriwarrh Health Services

This year, Djerriwarrh Health Service endured one of the worst healthcare scandals in the Victorian history. We then supported Djerriwarrh over five years, helping to ensure the hospital was safe, its staff supported, change was implemented and the service re-earned the trust of the community. This work led to the Duckett Report, a document that continues to shape both maternity and healthcare services across Victoria.

2016-2019
Chadstone The Fashion Capital

When Chadstone announced its $660m development, the locals were…not pleased. Our clear and focused message was "better, not bigger", which helped customers to "rethink" Chadstone and enjoy a premium experience from the moment they walked through the doors. Chadstone enjoyed its most successful Christmas trading season in history in the same year!

2017
Melbourne and Sydney join forces

Porter Novelli Melbourne and Porter Novelli Sydney join forces to become Porter Novelli Australia, adopting a “#1PN" mantra to deliver smarter work for our clients and draw on the experience and skills of a skilled cross-campus team.

2017
Iridescent: A Virtual Reality Film

Porter Novelli’s pro-bono arm jack+bill, produced a virtual reality film for The Butterfly Foundation, to translate the lived experience of people with eating disorders. Viewers’ reported empathy towards sufferers doubled to 82 per cent, and nearly two-thirds said they would be more likely to support The Butterfly Foundation in the future.

2017-2019
Legendairy Capital

We worked with Dairy Australia to shine a light on the heroes of the dairy industry – dairyfarmers – thus beginning the annual search for “Australia’s LEGENDAIRY Capital”. More than 100 towns were nominated for the awards, every year, creating deep pride and community solidarity – and some incredible content!

2019
Purpose Premium research

We launched our Australian-first Purpose Premium Index, which now gives Porter Novelli and our clients Australians views on Purpose and reputation.

2020
Mildura Hospital transition

We completely rebranded Mildura Base Hospital to hand it back to the Victorian Government...all while in lockdown, without ever setting foot on site!

2021
Yoorrook Justice Commission Appointed

We have worked in the centre of the Victorian Treaty project for more than four years, across the Victorian Government’s Treaty Branch, Victorian Treaty Advancement Commission, First Peoples’ Assembly and the Yoorrook Justice Commission

2022
Uluru Statement from the Heart

…and now with the Uluru Dialogue to help Australia shape its future alongside our First Nations Peoples.

2022
Our own Purpose

For the first time in Australia, we embarked on our own journey to articulate Porter Novelli’s purpose. Today, we shape your story
and make it count.

1972
Birth of Porter Novelli in Washington, D.C.

Jack Porter and Bill Novelli launched the agency based on the game-changing idea of applying marketing practices to communications aimed at public health and social issues.

1998
United a generation against tobacco with “truth”

Porter Novelli’s anti-tobacco program empowered teens to rebel against the tobacco industry’s deceptive marketing practices, producing the largest single-year decline in teen smoking in the USA in nearly 20 years.

2003
Peter Kent joins Porter Novelli Melbourne as Managing Director

At a time when he was most needed, Peter Kent agreed to make the move to Melbourne to run Porter Novelli Melbourne. He made the move, and 19 years later, we're still thriving!

2005
Gillette x Virgin Australia

In an Australian first, we "wrapped a plane" – the Virgin M3 Power Plane – to launch the new Gillette M3 Power, the first vibrating systems razor.

2005
Mercy Hospital for Women move

Porter Novelli helped Mercy Health move a whole hospital from East Melbourne to Heidelberg, including the transportation of babies in Neonatal Intensive Care cots.

2009
Fight Dementia

We fought dementia with Alzheimer’s Australia – and we won. We raised an army, built a cause and had dementia reinstated as a National Health Priority Area, securing $269.4 million of funding for a disease that touches every Australian in some way.

2009
Bushfires Royal Commission

We supported a range of forestry companies as they submitted and appeared before Victoria's Bushfires Royal Commission following the catastrophic Black Saturday Fires. This Royal Commission had profound implications for Victoria.

2011
The Waubra Wind Farm

We supported ACCIONA in delivering Australia’s most contentious wind farm. Over three years, we secured community support in Waubra, hosted Prime Ministers and MPs, business leaders and local community leaders at ACCIONA sites, all to secure social licence.

2011-2014
Stay Smart Online

We kick-started and managed a four-year journey on behalf of the Australian Government to shift thinking away from the internet being a "scary place", by harnessing the country's biggest companies, schools and community organisations nationwide to help people stay safe and secure on the internet.

2012
FESTofALL

Australia is home to about 380,000 young carers, who all deserve support and recognition. In 2012, we launched 11 major events across Australia, bringing together thousands of young carers, friends and families to be recognised for their contribution, capturing national attention…and an open letter of thanks from Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

2014
Every Greyhound Has A Story

There were more retired greyhounds than people who wanted greyhounds as pets, but our research showed people needed to meet greyhounds to understood them. Our multi-platform “Every Greyhound Has a Story” campaign increased greyhound adoption rates by nearly two-thirds on behalf of the Greyhound Adoption Program in Victoria.

2014-2017
Study Melbourne

Our internationally-awarded work for the Victorian Government made international students heroes, voices, advocates and ambassadors for choosing Melbourne and Victoria as their international study destination. We built an engaged community of more than half a million international students, and confirmed Melbourne as the world’s top study destination at the time.

2015
Djerriwarrh Health Services

This year, Djerriwarrh Health Service endured one of the worst healthcare scandals in the Victorian history. We then supported Djerriwarrh over five years, helping to ensure the hospital was safe, its staff supported, change was implemented and the service re-earned the trust of the community. This work led to the Duckett Report, a document that continues to shape both maternity and healthcare services across Victoria.

2016-2019
Chadstone The Fashion Capital

When Chadstone announced its $660m development, the locals were…not pleased. Our clear and focused message was "better, not bigger", which helped customers to "rethink" Chadstone and enjoy a premium experience from the moment they walked through the doors. Chadstone enjoyed its most successful Christmas trading season in history in the same year!

2017
Melbourne and Sydney join forces

Porter Novelli Melbourne and Porter Novelli Sydney join forces to become Porter Novelli Australia, adopting a “#1PN" mantra to deliver smarter work for our clients and draw on the experience and skills of a skilled cross-campus team.

2017
Iridescent: A Virtual Reality Film

Porter Novelli’s pro-bono arm jack+bill, produced a virtual reality film for The Butterfly Foundation, to translate the lived experience of people with eating disorders. Viewers’ reported empathy towards sufferers doubled to 82 per cent, and nearly two-thirds said they would be more likely to support The Butterfly Foundation in the future.

2017-2019
Legendairy Capital

We worked with Dairy Australia to shine a light on the heroes of the dairy industry – dairyfarmers – thus beginning the annual search for “Australia’s LEGENDAIRY Capital”. More than 100 towns were nominated for the awards, every year, creating deep pride and community solidarity – and some incredible content!

2019
Purpose Premium research

We launched our Australian-first Purpose Premium Index, which now gives Porter Novelli and our clients Australians views on Purpose and reputation.

2020
Mildura Hospital transition

We completely rebranded Mildura Base Hospital to hand it back to the Victorian Government...all while in lockdown, without ever setting foot on site!

2021
Yoorrook Justice Commission Appointed

We have worked in the centre of the Victorian Treaty project for more than four years, across the Victorian Government’s Treaty Branch, Victorian Treaty Advancement Commission, First Peoples’ Assembly and the Yoorrook Justice Commission

2022
Uluru Statement from the Heart

…and now with the Uluru Dialogue to help Australia shape its future alongside our First Nations Peoples.

2022
Our own Purpose

For the first time in Australia, we embarked on our own journey to articulate Porter Novelli’s purpose. Today, we shape your story
and make it count.

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