Shell Australia

Trust earned one project at a time.

The relationship did not expand through one major transformation or a single defining campaign, it developed through repeated delivery.

A successful print assignment led to further collateral. Print work expanded into event signage and physical applications. Digital requirements introduced EDMs, interactive PDFs and other online communications. Accessibility became increasingly important. New teams and departments began engaging SLICK as awareness of the relationship spread through the organisation.

The commercial model, similarly, evolved with the work.

At various stages, Shell has engaged SLICK through standing open purchase orders covering periods of up to 12 months. Other requirements are commissioned as individual projects, particularly as SLICK’s involvement has expanded beyond a single marketing team.

Whether work is delivered through a standing purchase order or an ad-hoc brief, the underlying service remains consistent: clear communication, responsive scheduling, disciplined production and close attention to Shell’s global standards.

Operating within Shell’s Brand Expression 2.0 system.

Shell introduced its Brand Expression 2.0 system in mid-2023, creating a substantial change in how the brand could be expressed across both short- and long-form communications.

The update affected more than surface styling. It changed permitted layout structures, the use and relationship of brand assets, and the way information could be organised across different formats.

SLICK needed to become fluent in the new system quickly while continuing to respond to active production requirements.

Senior team members reviewed the updated material available through Shell’s Brand Central portal, interpreted how the rules applied to established communication types and guided the wider studio through the transition.

The team then created a suite of ready-to-use production templates for common requests. These templates combined strict compliance with practical flexibility. Approved elements, layouts and backgrounds could be assembled efficiently to suit different content requirements without rebuilding every application from the beginning or compromising the global system.

The result was not simply faster artwork production. It reduced uncertainty, created greater consistency across repeat communications and allowed creative effort to be concentrated where it added value.

Brand Expression 2.0 became a working production system rather than a new set of rules that stakeholders and designers needed to reinterpret for every request.

Making complex production easy to engage.

The compliance and coordination behind Shell work can be extensive. The experience for the stakeholder raising the request should not be.

Shell teams are provided with a dedicated SLICK-managed ticket board in Asana. It acts as a shared environment for submitting briefs, confirming priorities, reviewing progress, recording feedback and receiving final files.

Each request is processed by SLICK’s senior leadership team and studio coordinator. They assess the requirement, allocate the appropriate designer, schedule production and organise communication throughout the life of the task.

Shell stakeholders retain visibility without needing to manage SLICK’s studio directly. The board provides:

• Live task status.
• Time tracking.
• Priority and urgency markers.
• Centralised briefs and supporting files.
• Review and feedback channels.
• A clear record of decisions and revisions.
• Final delivery within the task itself.

This removes the uncertainty that often surrounds external production. Stakeholders can see that a request has been received, understand where it sits in the workflow and identify when their input is required.

Feedback remains attached to the relevant task rather than being dispersed across separate email chains, reducing version confusion and preserving a transparent production history.

The system is structured enough to protect accuracy while remaining straightforward for occasional users from different Shell departments.

Production across every major touchpoint.

Over more than 2,000 projects and tasks, SLICK’s work for Shell has extended across a substantial range of communication formats.

Graphic Design & Publications

SLICK produces brochures, reports, cards, maps, handbooks, internal communications, presentations and other short- and long-form materials.

Each application requires the same brand discipline, but the design problem varies. A short promotional item must communicate quickly, while a detailed operational document needs to organise substantial information without losing clarity or compliance.

Print Production

The relationship began in print and continues to include extensive print-based work. SLICK prepares production-ready artwork, manages technical specifications and, where required, coordinates the transition from approved design to finished material.

The team’s familiarity with both Shell’s visual system and physical production helps identify issues before they reach the final stage.

Signage & Environmental Communications

SLICK’s scope includes event signage, wayfinding, branded activations and environmental applications. These materials introduce additional considerations such as scale, viewing distance, fabrication, installation and the relationship between individual signs within a larger physical environment.

EDM & Digital Communications

SLICK designs Shell EDMs and related digital material within the same global-brand framework. Digital communication requires the brand to remain recognisable and compliant while adapting to the structural, technical and usability constraints of email and screen-based formats.

Interactive Documents & Accessibility

The relationship has expanded to include interactive PDFs and material requiring greater attention to accessibility. These requirements reinforce the importance of producing communications that are not only visually correct but practical, navigable and appropriate for their intended users.

Events & Branded Activations

Shell’s event and activation requirements can include coordinated families of print, signage, display and digital assets. SLICK’s multidisciplinary capability allows related material to be managed as one communication system, helping stakeholders preserve consistency across every point of contact.

Responding when the deadline cannot move.

No single deliverable explains a relationship that has continued since 2009. The clearest evidence of SLICK’s performance for Shell is cumulative:

• More than 2,000 completed projects and production tasks.
• More than 15 years of continuous engagement.
• A remit that expanded from print production into graphic design, publications, signage, EDMs, interactive documents, accessibility and even critical operational communications.
• Engagement across national, state and project marketing teams.
• Support for human-resources and international compliance stakeholders.
• Standing open purchase orders covering periods of up to 12 months, supplemented by ad-hoc project engagement.
• Continued support for Shell’s major Australian projects, including Crux and Prelude.
• Successful adoption of the substantially updated Brand Expression 2.0 system.
• A dedicated workflow providing visibility, prioritisation and accountable delivery.

The relationship has endured through changing stakeholders, new communication channels, evolving project requirements and a major global-brand update. Its continuity demonstrates the value of SLICK’s long-held institutional knowledge with an operating model that continues to adapt.

For the client, the experience remains simple: raise the request, retain visibility and trust that the work will be handled properly and responsibly.