As a global leader in fibre-cement cladding, James Hardie commissions an annual report to identify and analyse future home-design trends in Australia. We transformed this into a strategic, design-led campaign to elevate the brand for modern consumers.
Scope
- Campaign Art Direction
- Campaign Identity
- Campaign Messaging
- Campaign Strategy
- Copywriting
- Editorial Design
- Film & Motion
- Full Service Production
- Print & Outdoor
- Social Content & Ads
Credits
- Photography by Paul Barbera
- Motion by Brett Brown
- Styling by Kendra McCarthy
Ortolan was engaged to reposition James Hardie as a desirable architectural brand and elevate the perception of their product beyond trade. Our task was to create a consumer-relevant narrative backed by credible insights, reframing the brand as a confident authority in contemporary Australian home design.
As strategic campaign partners, we researched consumer attitudes, aspirations and barriers around building or renovating with James Hardie cladding. This work shaped a brand position centred on trust, empowerment and design confidence, guiding the strategic direction for the campaign and the first Modern Homes Forecast.
The result was a robust multi-channel communication strategy led by the platform Build Your Modern Life, which delivered the Forecast across digital, social, print and events. We enlisted design expert Neale Whitaker, along with architects, builders and designers, to launch the campaign and guide audiences through the month-by-month release of each architectural style.
We refined the visual expression of the James Hardie brand, marking its evolution from trade-focused to design-focused — contemporary, refined and elevated. Ortolan created all campaign assets, including art direction for films and photography, refreshed product imagery, architectural renders, print collateral, and a dedicated microsite housing the Forecast and seven Design Handbooks. A staged release strategy across seven months enabled sustained engagement, supported by omni-channel mapping, digital targeting and a full lead-nurture journey.
A strategic approach was established whereby each of the forecast architectural styles and a corresponding Design Handbook would be released one-by-one over the seven month campaign period. This was key to engaging and re-engaging customers at various points, charting and optimising the user journey across that time. Beginning with omni-channel mapping, Ortolan also conceived the digital targeting journey all the way through to email lead nurture planning.
