Public relations as meaningful relationships trusted advice strategic storytelling
Your ideas can change entire industries, or create new ones. Character + Distinction is right beside you offering genuine insight, meaningful relationships and purposeful storytelling.
We can do so much, together.
Things we can do for you include communications and media strategy, brand storytelling, stakeholder engagement, brand development and go-to-market, media relations and brand partnerships.
Meet the Team
You’re smart, ambitious and nimble. Your advisory should be too. Whether you’re an early stage startup or a global brand, you need expert counsel. Our people are trusted and have the talent and perspective to deliver real impact.
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Partner
Sarah is a communications and public affairs professional with over fifteen years of experience. She has developed and executed complex media strategies, created transformational messaging, and launched countless products and campaigns for organisations in a range of industries.
Over her career Sarah has worked both inside ASX-listed companies and built a communications advisory that partners with leading technology brands to tell their stories. Starting out in entertainment publicity, promoting shows like Miss Saigon, Oklahoma and the Australian Opera, Sarah moved into business and technology corporate affairs working with companies like Telstra, Mercedes-Benz, Culture Amp, MYOB, Powershop, Up Bank, and PwC. Her own background building the Character + Distinction and Protagonist Capital brands makes her especially suited to building personal brands and creating an investor narrative.
Sarah is embedded in the startup ecosystem acting as a mentor for the Melbourne Accelerator Program and Startup Bootcamp. Sarah has completed the Airtree Explorer Program, and is an angel investor as well as early stage investor through Protagonist Capital.
When she’s not working you’ll find Sarah trying to re-learn the piano, going on walks with her dog and young family and trying to escape the Melbourne winter.
Communication style in three words: relevant, analytical, interested
Read an interview with Sarah in SmartCompany.
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Partner
Annie Carroll is a communications and public relations strategist who helps bring meaningful ideas to life. A strategic thinker with deep knowledge of the Australian media landscape, Annie delivers valuable insights to stakeholders so they can make better, more informed decisions. Across more than a decade, Annie has worked with ASX-listed companies and businesses at the bleeding edge of culture and brand. Annie has a reputation for storytelling that achieves cut-through and impact.
Prior to joining Character + Distinction, Annie founded In–Prose – a boutique PR and communications agency working with purpose-led businesses across design, technology and fashion. With a background in fashion, journalism and copywriting, Annie’s early career saw her cover the worlds of the arts, fashion, interior design and the built environment for publications including The Age, VICE Australia, Broadsheet, InDesign Live, est living and more.
Annie is the co-founder of homeroom - a Substack exploring style and identity.
Communications style in three words: considered, perceptive, curious
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Partner
Kate is a brand and communications strategist who works with a select group of clients on brand awareness, market entry, and strategic repositioning across the US and Australia.
In 2017, Kate co-founded Character + Distinction, working with global brands and fast-growing companies including Culture Amp - where she was later invited to join as VP of Brand + Communications. During two years at Culture Amp, Kate led the team that established Culture Amp as the category leader in employee experience, growing US brand awareness by >20% and consistently achieving the highest share of voice in all markets.
Kate's approach combines deep strategic thinking with pragmatic execution – shaped by prior years leading communications for a Belgian-listed industrial company and building brands in London and Zurich before returning to Melbourne.
Kate is also a founding partner at Protagonist, a seed-stage investment firm backing founders who are reimagining how we live and work.
Thinking of working with us? You’re in good company. Here’s who we’re helping right now—
Chobani Australia
Chobani Australia was founded on the belief that good food should be for everyone — a vision brought to life by founder Hamdi Ulukaya, who revolutionised the US yogurt market before bringing his passion for high-quality, nutritious food to Australia.
Culture Amp is the global platform leader for employee experience empowering companies of all sizes and industries to transform employee engagement, develop high performing teams, and retain talent via cutting-edge research, powerful technology, and the largest employee dataset in the world.
Heaps Normal is an independent, Aussie owned and made purpose-driven non-alc beer company on a mission to redefine the way we play. Thanks to Heaps Normal, it turns out reducing our alcohol consumption doesn't have to mean being boring and doesn't always mean being sober.
Luxury Escapes is the premier destination for exclusive, handpicked getaways. Boasting over 7 million global members, Luxury Escapes stands as one of the world's fastest-growing travel companies.
Sonder is an online portal that provides immediate, 24/7 support from a team of safety, medical, and mental health professionals - plus onsite help for time-sensitive scenarios. In 2023 they launched into the UK market, their customers include McDonald's, Woolworths, KPMG and the NSW Government.
Koala makes beautiful, flexible and sustainable products for the changing needs of modern life. For over a decade, the pioneering Australian business has been perfecting their approach to furniture design, innovating to address real customer needs and redefining entire product categories.
Founded in Melbourne by frequent flyers Athan Didaskalou and Richard Li, July began by reinventing the travel experience with beautifully functional luggage. Today, July continues to reimagine the way people move through the world with a full ecosystem of travel and lifestyle essentials that combine innovation, simplicity, and enduring design.
Rokt is the leading ecommerce technology company using machine learning and AI to make transactions more relevant to each shopper. Australian made and headquartered in New York, Rokt helps their brands create joyful ecommerce transaction moments by unlocking real-time relevancy for consumers.
MYOB is a leading business management platform in Australia and New Zealand, providing solutions to streamline key business workflows, from finance and inventory management, to employee onboarding and payroll.
Previous Clients
Andy Miller — CEO and co-founder, Heaps Normal
“C+D has been a strategic communications partner to the founders and leadership team at Heaps Normal for almost 4 years, and counting. I trust their advice on brand, audience insights and culture change and strategic storytelling. They are our secret weapon.”
Collette Betts – Manager Corporate Affairs AU | Events ANZ, MYOB
“Relentless in their appetite to achieve next level results for clients, backed by a deep understanding of the media environment with a black book that is the envy of any PR professional. You can feel confident they will deliver for your business and they will do it all while being delightful to work with. 20/10 recommend.”
Chelsea Healey – Head of Brand, Adore Beauty
“Character + Distinction are masters in strategic storytelling. The go-to advisor and true partner in both protecting and building brand. They have a deep understanding of culture, the role brands play and how to enter the zeitgeist with innovative ideas and cut-through comms - no fluff, all smarts.”
Character + Distinction x Daly
After years of shared clients and friendship, C+D has officially joined forces with Daly, our new sister agency in the United States. This partnership isn’t just about expanding our reach—it’s about unlocking doors for Australian brands ready to make their mark on the global stage.
With Daly’s deep expertise and established presence in the US, we’re now able to offer our clients a seamless, supported pathway into one of the world’s most dynamic markets.
For Aussie brands with global ambitions, the world just got a little smaller—and the possibilities, even bigger.
If you’re ambitious in your ideas, entrepreneurial in spirit and purposeful in your approach to getting things done, we’ll be a perfect fit.