Vale Michele Elliott (1943-2012) - one of the true greats of Perth's advertising and media industry
One of the greats of Perth media planning and buying, Michele Elliott passed away December 26, 2012.Michele has lived in Koror, Palau, near son, Ymal Uludong, who also worked for many years in the Perth industry
Michele (pictured left standing with colleague Val Yeo in the early DMB&B Perth days) joined Dick Baynham & Friends when she first arrived in Perth in 1979, and spent quite a few years there before joining McCann-Erickson and then DMB&B. She then helped form Strategem with Robbie Stewart, John Gill and Warwick Barraclough. Then she had a break before starting Larsen Media which became The Media Shop in 1993. She left in 1995 and started Elliott House which later became AIS Elliott Matthews. Her next move was to Department Head and Senior Lecturer for advertising at the School of Communications at Edith Cowan University, Perth. She then retired and moved back to her home town in the USA.
She was a great supporter of the industry in Perth and helped train many of Perth's media professionals. Campaign Brief remembers in the early 1980s her forming Mediation - a 10 week media buying and planning course - with Debra Neve, Steve Pretzel and Kim Chng. The first year of Mediation saw 120 students sign on for the course.
Dick and Mary Baynham were the first people in the industry to meet Michele when she came to Perth. Below is a personal account of Michele's life written by Dick Baynham:
Back in 1979 our newly formed creative boutique had a vacancy for a media manager. When we couldn't find anyone locally, we agreed to sponsor a young media planner from America sight unseen and a few months later Michele Elliott walked into our office.
Media planning in Perth took a big step forward that day and a few media reps found themselves taking a step back.
Michele didn't suffer fools and at that time most people in advertising thought a 'tarp' was something on the back of a ute, but those who were up for it soon gained an education in accountability.
Like everyone else in the Western Australian advertising industry we gradually became aware of Michele's early days.
After being inspired by President John F Kennedy as a student she enrolled as a volunteer in the Peace Corps and was sent to Palau, which turned out to be a small collection of dots in the Pacific Ocean. It wasn't long before she married a young local man and gave birth to their son Ymal, but shortly afterwards she chose to vary from the script of Blue Lagoon by moving back to the States with her son.
Back in America Ms Elliott segued into the advertising industry, rising through the ranks at three advertising agencies (Fessel, Seigfriedt & Moeller, Bandy Carol & Hellige) and a radio station in Cincinnati (WUBE). Shades of Mary Tyler Moore and like Mary, Michele proved to be a great role model.
This was the Mad Men days before the dawn of computers and it was here she learned her trade doing manual assessments on media plans using a math's formula developed by Westinghouse to measure reach and frequency.
At this point Michele decided it was time for another adventure. Her mother was originally from Perth and still had family here, so Michele asked one of her Australian cousins to find her a sponsor and that is where we came in.
After many years with us (Baynham) she heard the siren call of the multinationals (McCann Erickson). Then she joined forces with Alan Matthews to form one of Western Australia's first media buying companies (Elliott Matthews - now part of Aegis Media Australia), before branching out on her own as Elliott House where she worked with Ymal.
In her late fifties Michele wound down Elliot House and opted for another twist in the tale by joining the School of Communications at Edith Cowan University, where she was a Senior Lecturer and Department Head.
When her students were coming up for graduation everyone she knew in the industry would get a call from her to see if they needed trainees or had any vacancies. That was Michele. Committed, direct and hands on in making things happen to help people she cared about.
After retiring from advertising she left Perth and returned to her roots with her beloved dog Meg, in time to become part of the campaign that saw America elect its first black president, something that moved Michele greatly.
Never still, she got into real estate (Remax and Prudential) just as the bottom fell out of the American housing market. Her timing was lousy, but she loved being back in Kentucky, catching up with her family and friends, and seeing the seasons change.
After his mother's departure Ymal went back to the islands of his birth to rediscover his own roots and he now lives there with his family.
The ties of motherhood and becoming a grandparent eventually proved too strong and in time Michele also returned to Palau.
When her friends heard that a hurricane was about to hit the islands we all worried about her, but it was just another adventure. Michele spent a night on the roof with her family and they all thankfully escaped unharmed.
Feeling unwell last year, Michele went for a health check in Koror the town she lived in on Palau and discovered she had advanced cancer.
After returning to the States for treatment Michele died on December 26, 2012. She was a week short of her 70th birthday.
There are not many people who are genuinely larger than life, but by universal agreement Michele Elliott was one of them. She was a strong independent woman who lived life to the full.
Those of us who had the privilege of knowing her will always treasure her friendship and miss her, but we know our lives are that much the better for having shared part of it with her.
Rest in peace Michele. The stories of your deeds will continue to be told and your legend will become even greater with the telling.
With much love.
Dick & Mary Baynham.
Media planning in Perth took a big step forward that day and a few media reps found themselves taking a step back.
Michele didn't suffer fools and at that time most people in advertising thought a 'tarp' was something on the back of a ute, but those who were up for it soon gained an education in accountability.
Like everyone else in the Western Australian advertising industry we gradually became aware of Michele's early days.
After being inspired by President John F Kennedy as a student she enrolled as a volunteer in the Peace Corps and was sent to Palau, which turned out to be a small collection of dots in the Pacific Ocean. It wasn't long before she married a young local man and gave birth to their son Ymal, but shortly afterwards she chose to vary from the script of Blue Lagoon by moving back to the States with her son.Back in America Ms Elliott segued into the advertising industry, rising through the ranks at three advertising agencies (Fessel, Seigfriedt & Moeller, Bandy Carol & Hellige) and a radio station in Cincinnati (WUBE). Shades of Mary Tyler Moore and like Mary, Michele proved to be a great role model.
This was the Mad Men days before the dawn of computers and it was here she learned her trade doing manual assessments on media plans using a math's formula developed by Westinghouse to measure reach and frequency.
At this point Michele decided it was time for another adventure. Her mother was originally from Perth and still had family here, so Michele asked one of her Australian cousins to find her a sponsor and that is where we came in.
After many years with us (Baynham) she heard the siren call of the multinationals (McCann Erickson). Then she joined forces with Alan Matthews to form one of Western Australia's first media buying companies (Elliott Matthews - now part of Aegis Media Australia), before branching out on her own as Elliott House where she worked with Ymal.
In her late fifties Michele wound down Elliot House and opted for another twist in the tale by joining the School of Communications at Edith Cowan University, where she was a Senior Lecturer and Department Head.
When her students were coming up for graduation everyone she knew in the industry would get a call from her to see if they needed trainees or had any vacancies. That was Michele. Committed, direct and hands on in making things happen to help people she cared about.
After retiring from advertising she left Perth and returned to her roots with her beloved dog Meg, in time to become part of the campaign that saw America elect its first black president, something that moved Michele greatly.
Never still, she got into real estate (Remax and Prudential) just as the bottom fell out of the American housing market. Her timing was lousy, but she loved being back in Kentucky, catching up with her family and friends, and seeing the seasons change.
After his mother's departure Ymal went back to the islands of his birth to rediscover his own roots and he now lives there with his family.
The ties of motherhood and becoming a grandparent eventually proved too strong and in time Michele also returned to Palau.
When her friends heard that a hurricane was about to hit the islands we all worried about her, but it was just another adventure. Michele spent a night on the roof with her family and they all thankfully escaped unharmed.
Feeling unwell last year, Michele went for a health check in Koror the town she lived in on Palau and discovered she had advanced cancer.
After returning to the States for treatment Michele died on December 26, 2012. She was a week short of her 70th birthday.
There are not many people who are genuinely larger than life, but by universal agreement Michele Elliott was one of them. She was a strong independent woman who lived life to the full.
Those of us who had the privilege of knowing her will always treasure her friendship and miss her, but we know our lives are that much the better for having shared part of it with her.
Rest in peace Michele. The stories of your deeds will continue to be told and your legend will become even greater with the telling.
With much love.
Dick & Mary Baynham.
Michele was such a human dynamo.
If she saw shit, she said so with a firm, but graceful, "Now listen here, honey..."
Dick was right. She neither suffered fools, nor charlatans.
Too tragic. Too sad. Too early.
Remembered with much fondness.
John Ilian.
Farewell Michele. You will be sorely missed. I still remember that manual R&F formula that you taught me back in 1992. Comes in handy sometimes. Will especially miss your big personality, that wicked laugh and also the "now listen here, honey...". Thoughts are with Ymal & family. x
I too had to learn how to calculate reach and frequency in the 'old days' of working with Michele - as she said you can't negotiate something you don't understand! She also was responsible for me driving the radio reps nuts by arguing that Run of Station doesn't mean they place the ads anywhere they want, Run of Station actually means 2 spots in breakfast, 2 in morning, 2 in afternoon etc. And by the way I want the two breakfast spots Monday, drive Friday and so on.
While I don't remember the formulae, I will always remember her passion, her drive and her dedication to supporting the professional development of her team as well as the industry as a whole.
Michele was without a doubt one of the best mentors I have ever had. A woman with a heart as big as her laugh, her legacy lives on in all the people who had the privilege of working with her and for her.
Goodbye Michele. It was such a wonderful experience working with you at DMB&B in the heady days of the late 80's!! There was certainly lots of fun to be had!! You lived a full life and had lots of fun and friends. You never did do anything by halves!! Funny I remember that picture of you and Val with the very new whiz bang computer there!!!! Thoughts are with Ymal and family. RIP!
that is truely sad news . What a fabulous personality , a great teacher , larger than life and suffered no fools.
I can hear the retort now " Michele i dont think we can do that .... Honey , just watch this "
RIP condolences to family
What horrible news.
Back in the earliest days of my career Michele was one person I was always happy to see. Very warm, very tough, very knowledgeable. Her smile light up a room and would always lighten my mood.
Loved her accent, loved her energy and her straight forward, honest approach to everything. A warm-hearted, tough, ballsy breath of fresh air if ever there was one.
My condolences to her family and loved ones.
Thank you Michele for having the strength to always be forthright and funny in an industry that has had more than its fair share of back-stabbing and bull artists.
R.I.P Honey.
Shannon.
Will never forget working with you at Stratagem all those years ago, Michelle. Great lady, great laughs. Lots of love from (in an American accent) your "little Pommie bastard" mate.
Michelle, will be remembered as one of the best in her field. A great lady and a mighty drinker. I can remember many a Friday night at DMB&B that she drank some of the best under the table. She will be miss by many . Ken James
Very sad news Michelle was a friend a teacher and a mentor so very sad to hear the news - love to Ymal and Family
So many wonderful memories, so many ups and downs together. Dearest friends for thirty years. She was indeed one of the brightest stars. Extremely clever, extremely funny, extremely excessive in everything; work, booze, cigarettes, food. She was just a bundle of gorgeous woman. My pet name for her was 'sex-pot'- though she always knew it was a little cynical. I think of her and think of her training staff, students and media reps alike. I think of her bellicose, pithy commentary when she encountered lesser mortals. I think of her super sharp bullshit meter. I think of her love of Scotch (in the early days, she stopped drinking many years ago), but most of all I think of her integrity in everything she said and did. It was, and is, often a rare quality in our industry, but Michele carried that torch high for all to know and see. She cared passionately about everything she did and everyone she valued. She was a very loyal and caring friend. She had a hugely successful career, a lot of which, many dont know about as she was humble. In the early days I saw a picture of her being presented an award by the President of the United States, Ronald Reagen to services to radio for black women. She also had a really tough life, a tough up bringing, a tough personal life and a tough career in a time where male dominance was significant and regrettably a really tough ending. But she never gave up hope and was always optimistic. Dearest, wonderful special Sex Pot I will miss you so much. In Peace now at last.
So sad when such a wonderful person moves on to the next life too soon. I have so many great memories of Michele as a client, role model and friend from the days of the Americas Cup, Oasis Balls, sitting in her spa with a group of great gals celebrating her 60th with a few glasses of bubbles and a couple of visits over here to Brisbane.
When I was promoted to the first female State Manager of Australian Posters, Michele said "Now Honey prove that Outdoor works and I buy it...." R & F before outdoor embraced R & F was interesting.
Fondly remembered, always always with a smile, rest peacefully Michele.
I wanted to let all of her Australian friends know that we are thankful that Michele touched so many lives. She did the same here in the States. She was one hell of a woman. She was so strong and independent. I am just one of many cousins that loved her and will miss her dearly. I was lucky enough to have her in my home the last five months of her short life. She never stopped talking of her friends(family) in Australia and Palau. She never lost that wonderful spirit. Rest in Peace Michele
Love Debbie