Nicola McConnell
Nicola McConnell is a marketing communications professional who chooses to specialise in the area she loves – food, drink and lifestyle.
She’s worked in the field for more than 20 years after training as a journalist, working on a daily paper and on radio. As well as working on both sides of the media release, she’s traversed the Tasman Sea working in Sydney and Melbourne and now works from her Dunedin base. Nicola has worked for publicly listed corporations, family owned businesses and for herself – giving her an understanding of business from all sides. Nicola’s one of those rate consultants who can can develop pragmatic and effective strategy as well as rolling up her sleeves and getting the job done by writing media releases, newsletters, social media posts and content, organising and hosting events and collaborating with web developers, graphic designers, photographers and videographers to achieve clients’ objectives.
With Kathie, Nicola is co-owner and founder of the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards and the biannual New Zealand Chocolate Awards. She’s also responsible for establishing Dine Dunedin. With Marvellous Marketing and Kathie she’s responsible for marketing communication for the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association which includes organising judging for the NZ Champions of Cheese Awards as well as hosting its gala awards dinner, managing its CheeseloversNZ Facebook and Instagram pages and organising October’s annual NZ Cheese Month. Marvellous Marketing also look after the New Zealand Ice Cream Awards. Recent Marvellous Marketing clients include NZ Winegrowers, The NZ Speciality Coffee Association, NZChefs, Clearwater Farm, Good Group Hospitality and Something to Crow About.
Nicola is also on the Board of the Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival and she’s on the executive committee for Food Writers New Zealand.
Other career highlights include; helping the team behind the International Food Design Conference in Dunedin in 2014 and 2016. working with King Island Dairy cheeses in Australia, a stint as the Marketing Manager for the world acclaimed Sydney Fish Market and promotion for Magill Estate Restaurant at Penfolds in Adelaide. She’s had the joy of working on some outstanding brands including; Penfolds, Giesen Wines, Dan Murphy’s, GABs, Techion, The Regent Theatre, Ocho, Giesen Wines, International Sauvignon Blanc Celebrations 2016 and Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebrations.