The Birth of East End Marketing

In 1985, Joff Chappel, Simon Chappel, and Tony Francis joined forces to create East End Marketing. Born out of a shared creativity, community, and commerce, the agency drew its name from the vibrant East End fresh produce markets.

The first office was humbly tucked away at the rear of the Miss Gladys Sym Choon fashion store. Today, that very building pays tribute to Joff Chappel, a lasting memory of his life, influence, and East End legacy after his passing in 2020.

The Exeter Hotel, just a stone’s throw away, quickly took on a vital role in East End Marketing’s story. More than a watering hole, it became the team’s unofficial boardroom, a place where ideas flowed as freely as the drinks, where creative sparks flew, and where campaigns were hashed out on napkins and coaster backs.

From the start, East End Marketing wasn’t afraid to push boundaries. It brought to life The Mini Billboard, a clever twist on traditional outdoor advertising. Decades later, it would still be innovating, developing Ubercare, an app-based solution ahead of its time in digital community services.

Thanks to the following clients that we have worked with over the last 40 years

Adelaide Avalanche Ice Hockey, Adelaide City Jeep, Adelaide Research and Innovation, Andersons Lawyers, ANZ Office Furniture, Applied Care, Arborcrest, Australian Outdoor Living, Australian Training Alliance, Barlows, Best Life Communities, Blockbuster, Botanic Hotel, Bridge Toyota, Bunkers, Burns for Blinds, Burnside Hospital, Carlton Office Furniture, Cerbis Ceramics, CMI Toyota, Commercial & Legal, Complete Kitchens, Crestwood Plaza, Crowies Paints, D’Angelo Lawyers, Discount Auto Parts, Discount City Carpets, Disegno Luce, DQ Electrical, Eagle Trailers, Elders Real Estate, Enfield Furniture, Evans & Clarke, First National Real Estate, Fitbiz, Formula Honda, Galaxy Guitars, Gary J Smith Real Estate, Greyhound Racing, Grundys Shoes, Hidden Valley Ford, Holidays of Australia, Homeplus, Horn Australia, Hutton Consulting, Ike Ades Toyota, Image Home Furnishers, International Furniture, Island Surf, JAG Kitchens, Jeep Dealers, Jims Mowing, Just Quality Blinds, K&S Shutters, Keen Office Furniture, Kia Dealers, Landmark Harcourts, Lexus of Adelaide, Louvre House, Mazda, Mercedes Benz Adelaide, Miss Gladys Sym Choon, Moloney Lawyers, Movieland, Nakie, NT Now, Olympic Industries, On Statenborough, Portside Mitsubishi, Posture Care Chair Company, Proud Australia Holidays, Proud Mary, Pukekohe Travel, Roccas Home Improvements, Rock the Boat, Roof Seal, Sarah Homes, Seeley International, Silver Earth, Southside Suzuki, Spectrum Furniture, Tesseract, The Lad Collective, TJM, Tongue In Cheek, Toyota Dealers, Travel Auctions, Ubercare, Unite 4 Kids, Vergola, VIP Home Services, Woodstock Winery

At the core of it all were the founders:

Joff Chappel

Joff Chappel, more than just a co-founder,
became an East End icon a cultural figure known
for his charisma, connection to the community,
and instinct for authenticity in storytelling.

Simon Chappel

Simon Chappel emerged as the group’s
business creator and developer,
the strategist who could turn great ideas into
successful enterprises.

Tony Francis

Tony Francis, a doyen of the ad industry
since 1976, used a wealth of experience,
a vast network, and a sharp creative eye to
develop East End Marketing into what it is today.

Creative
Heart

Together, they built not just a business, but a brand synonymous with Adelaide’s creative heart. Through decades of change in the advertising world, East End Marketing has stayed true to its roots… creative, community-driven, and a little bit unconventional. And that’s exactly how we like it.