Reggie the Cairn Terrier, Thrifting, and George Michael: Annie Price’s Essential List

With 30+ years of experience in Melbourne advertising under her belt, Annie Price’s been ECD at Communicado for three years, working across everything from brand to retail.

Prior to Communicado, Annie spent seven years as creative director at JWT / Wunderman Thompson Melbourne, working on the Coles Liquor Group, Treasury Wine Estates, Simplot, Click Frenzy, and Costa.

Highlights of Annie’s career include launching the Specsavers brand in Australia, and leading rebrand campaigns for Snooze, Forty Winks, and STIHL whilst travelling the world to shoot for Jetstar and helping slow the road toll with campaigns for TAC.

Annie has built a team of talented individuals. A natural nurturer, Annie is currently an ‘Aunty’ as part of the Aunties program. She spent 10 years on the Melbourne Art Director’s Club (MADC) committee, has tutored and run Award School, participated in the MADC Ignition program, and the 'Who's Yr Momma' mentoring program.

Lifestyle

• Place of birth: Melbourne, Aus.
• Hometown: Beaumaris.
• Staycation: Our ‘Flinders Nuthouse’ mid-century beach shack in Flinders, on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula.

• Vacation: Anywhere in Europe (budget dependant). Our last trip was to France which was superb.
• Pet: Reggie the Cairn Terrier + three chooks.

• Place of work: Communicado.
• Place of workout: Walks with Reg at Ricketts Point dog beach.
• Good habit: Thrifting.
• Bad habit: Thrifting.
• Mode of transport: ‘Crème Caramel’ my Nissan Cube. We have another one called 'Coconut Ice' but she’s falling to bits. I can’t stand boring cars.

Culture

• Artist: Ken Done.
• Musician: Paul Kelly.
• Commercials / music video director: Too many to mention, love collaborating with new up-and-coming directors and the stalwarts who are experts in their field.
• Film director: Wes Anderson.
• Photographer: Rowena Meadows. Look her up. She’s a genius and my bestie. We collaborate on lots of silly things together.

• Film: ‘The Sound of Music’ or ‘Footloose’.
• Series: ‘Mr In-between’.
• Invention: Tinned baked beans and sausages, love those little sausages.
• Commercial: Classic fave is ‘Pink Lady, Yellow Pages’. Latest fave is my team’s spot for Taxibox featuring a human-sized squirrel with a nut storage problem.
  
• Music video: ‘Careless Whisper’, George Michael. Still gets me tearing up.
• Video game: ‘Burger Time’ on our retro 80’s gaming table.
• Board game: All of them, I’m obsessed with board games. A big favourite right now is 'Blokus'.
• Book: I’m reading ‘Escape to the Chateau’ (late to the party, I know). And it’s taking me about two years to get halfway through. I am not very good at relaxing.
• Podcast: I don’t listen to them. But I should.
• Newspaper (off or online): ‘Betoota Advocate’
• Magazine: ‘Frankie’ or ‘Lunch Lady’
• Obsession: Thrifting. Mid-century architecture. Interiors. Vintage/retro fashion. Plants. Hard rubbish retrieval. Crafts.
• Bonus culture essential: I like golf, but I’m pretty crap at it.

Food and Drink

• Breakfast: A fresh poached egg on toast from our chooks.
• Restaurant: Ciccolina St Kilda, I’ve never had a bad meal there. And that soft white bread and butter is to die for.
• Cheap bite: Huff Bagels, Mentone.
• Working lunch: The Orrong or Mt. Erica, both equal walking distance. And a BP servo sanga when deadlines are looming.
• Dish: I’m not a great cook, my partner Jamie does most of the cooking. If me and my girl are home alone, it’s broccoli rice and tuna all the way.
• Snack: Triangle cow cheese or tinned Dolmades.
• Guilty pleasure: Mint choc top.
• Bar: Any new discovery in our amazing bar-filled Melb CBD.
• Booze: White wine or a gin and tonic.

• Not booze: Schweppes Bitter Lemon.
• Bonus food: Roast dinner with Yorkshire puds (my mum used to make the best).
• Bonus beverage: Cup of tea, white, no sugar (I’ve just cut sugar out).

Kit

• Phone: iPhone
• Computer: Apple Mac
• Headphones: Don’t wear them. I like being aware of my surroundings, listening to people, watching the world go by. I think it’s kind of sad seeing everyone head down, headphones in.
• Camera: I studied at uni with an old Pentax but these days, it’s all on the phone.
• Pen / pencil: a 4B for the softness.
• Where you document an idea: Sketch pad.
• Casual clothing: No such thing.
• Smart clothing: Something from my overly stuffed, thrifted wardrobe. Mainly dresses. Always colourful.

• Footwear: Coloured trainers.
• Accessory: My glasses -- I have seven pairs from the best optical store around, Wink in Elwood. Plus colourful bangles, rings, and earrings (but make them big).
• Collection: Ok, where do I start?! West German pottery, Danish vintage Vikings, soda syphons, snow domes, vintage tea towels, Krosno glass animals, Décor drinks carriers, 80’s name mugs, macrame owls, kitchenalia, plants, thrifted fashion… You name it, I will probably collect it.

• Home comfort: My fluffy dressing gown and Ugg boots.
• App: Facebook Marketplace, searching for more things I don’t need.
• Blog: Design Files (our house was featured in the early days).
• Analogue work tool: I still scamp my concepts. I find it so much easier to get an idea down on paper (I’m old school and not ‘on the tools’).
• Morning grooming / makeup essential: Bright lipstick. And all the eye things.
• Bonus kit essential: Love having my nails done, a recent indulgence I’m intending to maintain.