Chris Little walked into a shed on the property at the base of the Blue Mountains to find a $130,000+ Lexus completely dismantled.
Even though he was expecting it, his heart jumped a little - Lexus had entrusted him with this luxury vehicle for a high-stakes commercial.
Through the ad agency he worked for - an arm of international giant M&C Saatchi - Chris was part of a team working an outlandish idea to link Lexus's new RC-F model to a driver's heartbeat.
But to make it happen, the car needed to be pulled apart so it could be resprayed with biometric paint.
"It doesn't matter what car you've got, or how nice it is, when you rip all the panels off, it looks like it's been wrecked," Chris laughs.
Whatever nerves appeared at the site of the dismantled Lexus were silenced by the delivery of the finished commercial - it was incredible, celebrated within the world of advertising and beyond as a triumph for creativity and ingenuity.
What's the story
That was almost 10 years ago - the industry has changed so much in that time, transformed by advances in technology and the ongoing rise of social media.
But one aspect has remained the same for Chris - storytelling. It sits at the heart of all he does, recognised by his grocery list of awards and industry acknowledgements.
His work is evocative - each project carefully integrating images, words and colours to create unique storylines.
Dreamy - a collaboration between First Nations not-for-profit CommonGround and Snapchat - is a stunning collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories designed to do exactly what it says on the box: to put you at ease, helping your mind relax into a state of unconsciousness.
Or there's Steep and Deep - a passion project for Chris. A self-confessed "obsessed surfer", it brings the best parts of design, photography and writing to spotlight the sport in all its raw, unconventional and expressive power.
The profound respect Chris possesses for storytelling can be traced back to his childhood, growing up in regional Victoria where his parents operated a chain of boutique summertime cinemas - a place where ideas were brought to life in colour and sound.
When Chris references this time, he isn't just talking about the movies themselves - he's talking about the ads that preceded them too. The story, the core idea, he says, is important - no matter the format.
Chris Little at his home on the Sunshine Coast
The first step in a journey is to get moving
Chasing the story is a philosophy Chris has applied to his own life - he has always looked for ways to craft his own unique narrative.
He's followed some unconventional paths that have led him to a successful career working for some of the biggest brands, in some of the most well-known ad agencies in the world.
It started with a move to Sweden after graduating from UniSC with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in marketing and digital design - at a time when most of his contemporaries in the design world were moving to London.
"It's a cliché but fortune actually did favour the brave," Chris says. "If I hadn't have done that, I might have taken a whole different approach to the rest of my career."
UniSC Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Michael Wilmore says Chris's approach is an excellent example of how many of our graduates create their own opportunities through unconventional thinking.
"University is about more than learning new knowledge and skills - it's about critical thinking," Professor Wilmore says.
"This is an invaluable skill to have because it often leads to situations where you can create your own opportunities, forging unique and successful career paths - as Chris has demonstrated."
After arriving in Sweden, Chris landed a job in a commercial agency, which helped set him up for a huge career in the industry. But not right away.
A traditional break
When he moved back to Australia, most agencies were looking for specialists - people who were highly skilled in areas like photography, design or art.
Having come from a small commercial agency, Chris was highly skilled. But as a generalist, leaving him feeling a bit like an odd number in an even world, which on reflection is a great way to get noticed.
That happened when the creative director at ad agency Mark - the digital arm of M&C Saatchi - asked Chris to be the first of two digital art directors. This, Chris says, was his first big, conventional break.
"I was out of my depth at first," Chris reflects with amusement.
"But you kind of are for pretty much the first half of your career - and then the rest of the time, you've got imposter syndrome anyway."
It's about passion
It's hard to believe that Chris - a multi award-winning marketer who speaks with genuine passion and enthusiasm about the industry - would have ever suffered imposter syndrome.
But that's part of why brands and clients seek him out - he's not only highly relatable, personable and humble, he's always keen to find the most creative way to approach his work.
For those starting out, he has some advice.
"As long as you're passionate - as long as your heart is in it - it will always work out," Chris says.
"It may not feel like it at the time but that passion will filter down into everything you do - people around you will recognise that. Just keep going."
