Sarah Ranawake
Content Strategist

Sarah Ranawake

Past clients include Sanofi, Novartis, & IBM.
Work with Sarah Work with a Content Strategist

About

Sarah Ranawake is a content strategist with 17 years of experience in content marketing, digital, social media, and print. Her client industry experience ranges from lifestyle, travel, hospitality, and fitness events to financial services, corporate, tech, consumer/retail, and healthcare. At Weber Shandwick, he created content and collaborated on integrated campaigns for brands such as ExxonMobil, ALDI, Nespresso, Crown Residences One Barangaroo, Zoetis, Sanofi, Stryker, Novartis, IBM, Australian Computer Society, American Airlines, and Accor.

Employment

5 roles
Dec 2016 - Present 9 years 5 months
Creative Content Consultant & Shoot Director/Producer
Independent
  • Provided a range of content marketing and creative campaign services for clients across industries ranging from ranges from lifestyle, travel, hospitality, and fitness events to financial services, corporate, tech, consumer/retail, and healthcare. 
  • Worked both with in-house marketing teams and sub-contracting/project managing for agencies.
  • Provided end-to-end video and photoshoot production, creative direction, and styling.
  • Created content, social and brand strategy, and campaign scheduling.
  • Provided copywriting and creative ideation, project management, client account management, and influencer management.
Mar 2018 - Oct 2019 1 year 7 months
Executive Producer & Managing Editor
Weber Shandwick
  • Acted as a content lead within Weber Shandwick's in-house integrated studio, overseeing creative ideation and production on projects across a range of content mediums; strong focus on video direction, digital content hubs and social content.
  • Created content and collaborated on integrated campaigns across broad range of clients and practices, including corporate (ExxonMobil), consumer/retail (ALDI, Nespresso, Crown Residences One Barangaroo), healthcare (Zoetis, Sanofi, Stryker, Novartis), tech (IBM, Australian Computer Society), and travel (American Airlines, Accor).
Jul 2015 - Dec 2016 1 year 5 months
Head of Content
Merivale
  • Built a new content and social team with three direct reports (social media manager, community manager, and writer) and a wider team of regular external contractors including photographers, videographers, and writers.
  • Educated senior leadership and internal stakeholders on the role of content and social.
  • Developed content and social strategy that positioned the Merivale brand not only as a leader in the hospitality industry but in the luxury lifestyle space.
  • Introduced new digital publication Meritales and content-led EDM strategy based around food, lifestyle, and entertainment. This doubled EDM open rates and increased engagement by 40% within a few months. Time spent on website and page views also increased significantly.
  • Edited a printed journal, Our Newport, showcasing the local Northern Beaches community surrounding Merivale’s venue The Newport.
  • Developed and executed content and social campaigns and launches for multi-million dollar venues such as The Newport, Fred’s, and The Paddington.
  • Provided hands-on production and creative direction for video and photo shoots for new venue launches, major brand campaigns, and co-branded content.
  • Identified and developed a new revenue stream for the business in the form of co-branded content. Worked with the partnerships team to pitch to clients. Worked directly with client brand managers on the creative concept, production, and seeding of these co-branded videos and social content. One resulting mini-film, Guilty Pleasures (a collaboration with Chandon to coincide with Merivale’s annual food and wine festival March into Merivale) was later selected for Berlin Fashion Film Festival.
  • Worked with a social media manager to develop content amplification strategies, social media innovation, and trends to ensure Merivale was consistent across new platform developments.
  • Helped build a business case study for a new content-rich website (still in development) and working closely with the wider digital transformation on the role of content and social in the digital roadmap and customer journey.
  • Worked on the development of a B2B content and social strategy for the events team. Also worked with HR team on internal communications, including video content for induction and recruitment and content for a new intranet/internal social networking site.
Jan 2014 - May 2015 1 year 4 months
Editorial Director
Sporteluxe.com
  • Conceptualized and executed all content both editorial and branded. Sole responsibility for editorial and branded content direction and strategy of the popular online destination devoted to health, fitness, wellness, lifestyle, fashion, and beauty.
  • Relaunched Sporteluxe into a digital publication with daily EDMs and monthly unique visitors of 75,000 in a few months.
  • Managed a small editorial in-house team and wider team of contributors including some of Australia’s leading wellness experts and working with them on the creation of unique content that was engaging, informative, and authoritative.
  • Handled external advertising agency.
  • Leveraged contacts to negotiate and secure brand partnerships and advertising campaigns.
  • Worked closely with clients such as Fitness First, Nike, Adidas, Rebel Sports, Calvin Klein, Country Road, Seafolly, Merivale, The Iconic, Under Armour, Rexona, Philosophy, Destination NSW, TOM Organic, Ultraceuticals, New Balance, and Bang & Olufsen to conceptualize and create branded digital and social content across all mediums. These included videos, photo shoots, blogs, EDMs, ambassador interviews and features, product reviews, photo shoots, and videos.
  • Loaded content into CMS (WordPress) and ensured all content adhered to best-practice SEO principles.
  • Developed content amplification and distribution strategies.
  • Leveraged personal media contacts to help promote the Sporteluxe brand, the highlight was a cover story in The Australian newspaper to coincide with Sporteluxe relaunch.
  • Represented Sporteluxe at consumer events co-presented with brand partners including event hosting duties.
  • Performed various managerial and financial duties and responsibilities associated with being a co-owner of a small startup company, including serving as a director and company secretary. 
Jan 2011 - Dec 2013 2 years 11 months
Features Director, CLEO Magazine
Bauer Media
  • Led CLEO’s features team with four direct reports. Briefing stories, managing workloads and copy flow, and mentoring junior writers. Commissioning contributors and columnists.
  • Maintained high editorial standards and editing copy from all writers and contributors.
  • Project managed CLEO Bachelor of the Year, the biggest magazine property in Australia. This involved approaching and dealing with hundreds of publicists and managers to secure high-profile talent. Producing, styling, and art directing the entire shoot (over 25 pages in magazine) and accompanying interview copy. Working with the advertising team and directly with major clients on the production of branded content (online video shoots and magazine photoshoots and copy).
  • Project managed CLEO’s other major annual party, CLEO Swim in conjunction with in-house events team. Leveraged contacts to secure contra venue, sponsors, and celebrity guests.
  • Negotiated exclusive celebrity interviews.
  • Styled and produced photographic shoots and videos for CLEO’s multimedia platforms.
  • Edited the #trending section (round-up of who and what’s cool each month in the entertainment, fashion, beauty, celebrity, lifestyle, online, social media, and technology).
  • Represented CLEO at consumer events, including hosting/performing MC duties.
  • Shared responsibility for updating CLEO’s social media accounts.
  • Conducted media interviews relating to features in the magazine to promote the CLEO brand.

Education

Jan 2001 - Dec 2003 2 years 11 months
Bachelor of Media, Writing
Macquarie University