Top of Their Game

Meet Russel Howcroft: advertising expert, TV panelist, radio presenter and one of Australia’s most familiar faces in advertising and communications. 

With a career spanning decades advertising, Russel unveils some of his secrets to what makes an idea cut through the noise, stick in people’s minds and ultimately change behavior. 

It’s a fascinating conversation with one of Australia’s most experienced and entertaining communicators. 

Learn more about the topics mentioned: 

• Gruen (on ABC iView) 

• Russel’s morning breakfast radio program 

• Selection of ads mentioned: 

• Old Spice’s The Man Your Man Could Smell Like (2010) 

• Carlton Draught’s Big Ad (2005) 

• Apple’s Think Different (1997) 

• Sony Bravia’s Bouncy Balls (2005) 

Top of Their Game has been brought to you by The Plain Game: the plain language training game. 

Meet Christopher Balmford and Cinzia Theobald: plain language champions, international standard setters, and the co-founders of In-Game Learning. 

From Christopher’s early days challenging the legal profession’s resistance to plain language to Cinzia’s work improving health communication for culturally diverse communities, their careers have been driven by one idea: people deserve communication they can actually understand. Together, they’ve helped shape the international plain language movement and the ISO plain language standards. 

In this special episode, Christopher and Cinzia reveal how they first met, what it took to turn decades of plain language expertise into The Plain Game, and why they believe games could be the key to making workplace training more engaging and more effective. 

It’s a lively conversation about plain language, learning, and why play is the brain’s favorite way to learn. 

Learn more about our guests and the topics discussed: 

• In-Game Learning’s The Plain Game 

• Christopher’s article about the journey to developing the ISO Plain language standard  

• The ISO Pattern Library 

• The Victorian Law Reform Commission's Plain English and the Law 

• The Plain Language Association International (PLAIN) 

• Clarity International 

• The Cent for Plain Language  

• The International Plain Language Federation 

• Christopher’s mother’s autobiography, A Funny Course for a Woman 

Top of Their Game has been brought to you by In-Game Learning: the most fun you'll ever learn. 

Meet Vijayalaxmi Hegde: a writer and plain language specialist, and one of the leading voices advocating for clear communication in India. 

With hundreds of languages and extraordinary cultural diversity, India demonstrates why plain language is critical to ensuring everyone can participate in the world's largest democracy. 

In this episode, Vijayalaxmi shares the state of the plain language movement in India, the push to reform legal and government communication, and how AI and international standards could shape its future. It's a fascinating conversation about language, inclusion, and the power of clarity. 

Learn more about Vijayalaxmi’s work: 

• Vijayalaxmi’s Plain Language India Blog 

• Vijayalaxmi’s Newsletter ‘Clear Enough’ 

• Vijayalaxmi’s LinkedIn profile 

Top of Their Game has been brought to you by In-Game Learning: the most fun you'll ever learn. 

Meet Torunn Reksten: an advocate, lecturer, and plain language expert at the Language Council of Norway. 

In this episode, Torunn reflects on her work on the Norwegian Language Act and ISO plain language standards. We also explore the roles user experience, innovation, and minority language preservation play in making Norway a global leader in clear public communication. 

Learn more about Torunn’s work and the resources she mentioned 

• Torunn’s LinkedIn profile 

• Menon Economics’ Benefits of Plain Language report 

• The Norwegian Plain Language Project 

• Norway’s official plain language website (In Norwegian) 

• Best practices for complying with the plain language legislation (In Norwegian) 

• Principles for plain language in digital solutions (In Norwegian) 

• Methods for user testing and measuring effects of plain language  (In Norwegian) 

• Plain language profit calculator (In Norwegian) 

Top of Their Game has been brought to you by In-Game Learning: the most fun you'll ever learn.

Meet Nadja Green: a plain language content developer, researcher, and strategist based in Johannesburg, South Africa. 

In this episode, Nadja reflects on the challenges of persuading South African business and government that plain language is a strategic priority, not just a stylistic preference. She also discusses South Africa’s remarkable post-apartheid constitutional process, where plain language experts played a role in shaping one of the country’s most important documents, as well as her work helping develop the first ISO standard for plain language. 

It’s a conversation about history, strategy, and the power of language to shape how people understand and engage with the world around them. 

Learn more about Nadja’s work 

• Nadja’s LinkedIn profile 

• Nadja is a partner at The Plain Language Institute 

• Nadja is a course instructor at The Plain Language Academy 

• Nadja’s Google Scholar profile 

Top of Their Game has been brought to you by In-Game Learning: the most fun you'll ever learn. 

Meet Dr Anthony Fauci: a physician, scientist, and one of the most influential public health leaders of our time. 

He advised 7 US presidents and shaped the national and global responses to HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. Few people have navigated crisis, uncertainty, and public scrutiny on this scale. 

In this episode, Anthony reflects on a lifetime at the center of infectious disease response. And what it takes to communicate clearly when the science is evolving, the stakes are high, and trust is fragile. 

Learn more about Anthony’s work 

• Anthony’s website 

• Anthony’s memoir 

Top of Their Game has been brought to you by In-Game Learning: the most fun you'll ever learn. 

Meet the Hon. Michael Kirby: former High Court justice, human rights champion, and one of Australia’s most compelling legal voices. 

From shaping landmark decisions on the High Court of Australia to championing plain English long before it was fashionable, Michael shares why clarity in communication isn’t just good practice, it’s a matter of justice, fairness, and humanity. A sharp, deeply thoughtful conversation with a true giant of Australian law. 

Learn more about Michael’s work 

• Michael’s official website  

• Michael’s 10 Commandments of clarity [See page 8] 

• Michael’s talk ‘Write for the people: Plain English and the law with Michael Kirby’ 

Top of Their Game has been brought to you by In-Game Learning: the most fun you'll ever learn. 

Meet Dr. Helen Keleher: a leading voice in public health who’s spent her career tackling some of society’s most complex, and urgent, health challenges. 

An Adjunct Professor at Monash University and Life Member of the Public Health Association of Australia, Helen brings deep expertise in health equity, prevention, and population health. From shaping strategy to influencing generations through her writing and teaching, her work has consistently focused on creating fairer, more effective systems.  

In this episode, she shares why clear communication and health literacy are critical to creating fairer systems, and what it really takes to drive meaningful change. 

Learn more about Helen’s work 

• Helen’s textbook Understanding Health 

• Helen’s Google Scholar Citations  

Top of Their Game has been brought to you by In-Game Learning: the most fun you'll ever learn. 

Meet Jamila Savoy: an emerging leader in the world of plain language advocacy. 

As co-founder of Plain Language Matters, Jamila helps organizations communicate clearly; from simplifying complex policy to shaping public health messages and coaching teams to write with confidence and purpose. In this episode, she shares how her passion for plain language began, how she convinced the Victorian Government to invest in clarity, and the key lessons she’s learned as a leading voice for accessible, human-centered communication. 

Learn more about Jamila’s work 

• Jamila’s business is Plain Language Matters, where she and Jess Mathew help organizations transform their documents and train their teams 

• She was a finalist for the Plain Language Awards 2025 

Further reading 

• The Victorian Government’s Accessible Communications Policy 

• The Plain Language Community of Practice on the Innovation Network; open to all Victorian public servants 

Top of Their Game has been brought to you by In-Game Learning: the most fun you'll ever learn. 

Meet Laureate Professor Peter Doherty: Nobel Prize winner, scientific heavyweight, and master communicator. 

From a discovery that transformed modern medicine to decades as a trusted public voice on pandemics, climate change, and science itself, Peter shares what it takes to communicate complex ideas with clarity, credibility, and impact. A big-brain conversation with one of the world’s best. 

Learn more about Peter’s work 

• List of books by Peter 

• Peter’s biography on The Nobel Prize website 

• Peter’s profile on The University of Melbourne website 

• Doherty Institute  

Top of Their Game has been brought to you by In-Game Learning: the most fun you'll ever learn.