ABOUT
Sarah Donnellan is a hospitality and events marketing professional with extensive experience across corporate and non-profit sectors. After 20+ years in event management, hospitality, wine and marketing, she founded Splash Communications to help wine brands connect with their audiences through targeted campaigns, engaging content and memorable events that drive visibility and impact.
Photo credit: Mike Emmett from Redfish Bluefish Photography
My work focuses on boosting brand exposure through targeted campaigns and memorable events. Drawing on creative and logistical expertise, I provide comprehensive services that drive brand visibility and customer engagement.
Industry experience
Wine Marketing (10+ years): Through my experience in wine marketing, including roles with Wine Yarra Valley and The Wine Society, I have developed and implemented strategic marketing initiatives, managed consumer and trade communications and organised events to strengthen brand presence and engagement. My experience in digital marketing includes content strategy, social media management and e-commerce integration, helping wine brands enhance their online visibility and customer engagement. Drawing on my WSET Level 3 Wine + Spirits qualification, I create informed strategies that resonate with consumers and industry professionals.
Event Management (14+ years): My experience spans corporate and non-profit sectors, with a strong focus on food and beverage events, including roles with the State Library of Victoria, Melbourne Food + Wine Festival and Melbourne Royal. I have planned and executed a wide range of events, including industry and consumer-facing activations, while managing stakeholder engagement, budgeting and overall project execution to ensure seamless delivery and maximum impact.
Hospitality (20+ years): I have worked across a wide range of hospitality settings, from cellar doors to large-scale event venues and premium catering operations. Roles with businesses including Polperro Winery, Giant Steps Wine and Delaware North have strengthened my skills in customer service, team coordination and food & beverage. This hands-on experience has shaped a practical, customer-focused approach to hospitality and continues to inform my work in marketing, events and brand development across the wine and tourism sectors.
"Sarah’s been a huge help for us at Barrique. She knows the wine game and gets things done. She’s helped sharpen up our marketing, especially around loyalty and customer communication. It’s been great having someone we can trust. She’s easy to work with and speaks our language."
Mike Emmett - Owner, Barrique Wine Store
"Sarah is a highly skilled events and marketing professional. She was always proactive in identifying opportunities to improve and contribute to key projects. She made a positive contribution to the culture, always inclusive of new starters and generally lifting the morale of the broader sales, marketing and events team. Any company would be lucky to have her on their team, and I highly recommend her for any future opportunity."
Nicky Scoular - former Marketing Manager (Acquisition and Retention) at The Wine Society