© Made Rupert
Challenge
As COVID took hold and markets closed overnight, makers lost their primary way to reach buyers. Global platforms were no longer accessible, and local journals weren't built to sell. There was a gap for something curated, shoppable, and distinctly Australian.
Objectives
Brand identity
Create a visual and written language across all touchpoints.
Scalable marketplace
Build a digital platform showcasing local talent with high engagement and minimal operational overhead.
Content Infrastructure
Develop systems and templates that scaled storytelling and maker outreach without manual work.
Strategic Partnerships
Enable collaborations with cultural leaders and social enterprises that extended beyond commerce.
Maker-First Experience
Design a shopping experience that celebrated craft, process, and provenance.
Conducted 80+ structured interviews to map user needs, directly informing the prioritisation of 8 core platform features
Created a flexible design system spanning print and digital, including art direction frameworks, event and editorial templates, and a tone-of-voice guide.
Designed and launched a Shopify-based marketplace with maker profiles, story pages, project galleries, e-commerce, and a lightweight CMS. Integrated a weekly newsletter to distribute maker narratives.
Developed a content strategy with editorial calendar, campaign toolkits for partners, cross-promotional assets, and weekly EDM.
Implemented fulfilment and CRM workflows to support day-to-day operations as the platform scaled
Milestones
Platform Adoption
Launched a marketplace that attracted makers and buyers, providing a curated alternative to global platforms during market closures.
Content-Driven Engagement
Fortnightly newsletter to over 1k subscribers, with 43% open rate and 19% click-through rate.
Partnership Impact
Raised $30,000 in donated locally made products for social enterprise Free to Feed.
