Simon Hammond (born 23 January 1962) is an Australian author, entrepreneur, journalist, business advisor and international keynote speaker.
Born in the United Kingdom, Hammond relocated to Australia in 1969, at age seven. He lived in Adelaide with his family through the assisted migration scheme before the family moved to Melbourne. Hammond still resides in Melbourne today.
Hammond attended Salesian College in Victoria from 1974 to 1979, before studying a Bachelor of Journalism at RMIT in 1980. Now, as Industry Fellow in the Faculty of Business and Law at Swinburne University, he resides as an adjunct professor after co-developing the Branding & Innovation Unit teaching Be brands and social insights within the Master of Marketing.
Currently the director and founder of Hammond Thinking and 50 Crates in Melbourne, Australia, Hammond is the author of four books on brand strategy and has founded six brand communications agencies.
Viewpoints
Hammond developed the BE Brand philosophy, maintaining that when a business stands for something based on the emotive drivers of its customer, this will lead to connection and sense of belonging. The BE Brand business strategy process is used in 11 countries across four continents.
Hammond's "MOST" framework from his new book Brutal Truths is also being used alongside BE Branding and the Socratic Method in his new teaching venture - Theatre of Thinking. Launching in December 2020, Theatre of Thinking found an audience in the career development and branding space.
Career
Journalism
Hammond began his career in Journalism in 1980 as a Cadet reporter at the Knox Sherbrooke News for Leader Newspapers The Leader. In 1982 he joined Mark Day's The Truth in Melbourne where he worked on the investigative team. In 1984 he became Victoria's youngest ever A grade journalist when he took over 4x4 magazine for Syme magazines at age 22. He joined 3AW as Assistant Chief of Staff, before becoming Magazine Development Manager for Syme Magazines in 1986. He ran his own talkback motoring radio show on radio 3UZ for 3 years between 1986 and 1989. In 1988 he established his first brand communications business, Dare Concepts. Since leaving full-time journalism, Hammond has been a contributor to The Herald Sun and is a regular commentator on Channel 7's Today Tonight program.
Business Ventures
Hammond has established brand communication agencies and methodologies throughout Australia, the USA, Asia, Europe and the UK.
After leaving the world of journalism in 1988, Hammond established his first communications agency with Robyn, Dare Concepts. Dare was initially founded as a PR company but quickly transitioned into a 'big ideas' advertising agency. Dare was well known for its mould-breaking stunts such as the orchestrated kidnapping of a Victorian minister or breaking the land speed record for a caravan.
By 1993, Dare had become a juggernaut in the Melbourne creative industry, gathering large clients like GSK and Land Rover. But wanting to venture increasingly into advertising, Hammond founded The Edge gain with wife Robyn Nelson, and new business partner Ron Barnacle. The Edge made a massive splash when it debuted it's still revered 'roo cull' trilogy of ads for youth outreach service 'Open Family'. 'Roo Cull' showed Australian street kids gunned down, 'Cry Wolf' threw street kids to wolves and 'Waltzing Matilda' included a young Australian putting on blackface and receiving more aid as a result.
After unresolvable creative differences with partner Ron Barnacle caused Hammond to split from The Edge in 1996, Hammond returned to Dare which had been running alongside The Edge and took the reins back from wife Robyn, rebranding it Hammond Dare. The Edge was eventually sold in 2000 and merged with Clemenger Harvie to form Clemenger Harvie Edge, now CHE.
As time passed, Hammond Dare received more acclaim and Hammond formed an idea to make his agency a destination. So, in 2001 SEE was launched, transitioning clients and staff directly from Hammond Dare. SEE became Hammond's largest and best known agency between its 2001 inception and its 2007 sale to Photon Group (now Enero Group). In this time, he found tremendous growth, most notably becoming a published author and developing his most valuable IP - BE Branding. SEE landed clients like NAB while creating a creative space that attracted talent from around the country. The business grew large enough to expand into a second location. After selling in 2006, Photon group transitioned SEE into Belong, which would herald a period of change for Hammond.
His philosophical business model, BE Brands, has been used by business globally since 2003.