Clemenger BBDO Melbourne hast helped Myer launch a new exhibition in Melbourne as the centerpiece of its ‘Australia Lives Here’ campaign, profiling 100 items sold by Myer between 1900 and 2000.

The items have been selected for the roles they have played in Australian lives and the many memories and stories that are associated with them.

Some examples include the Sony Walkman, the Ronson Escort strap-on hairdryer, a first-edition Prue Acton dress, and a classic 80s shell suit along with a pair of Reebok Pumps.

Thirty items on the exhibition list are missing, and Myer is calling on people who have these items to submit their story here. If you have one of the original items, you could be in with a chance to win its 2017 equivalent.

Over the weekend, Myer announced the first competition winner, 100-year-old Carmel Young, who recently moved into a nursing home. Her great-nephew, Anthony O’Toole, has hung onto her 1956 AWA TV, one of the first models of TV ever sold in Australia.

Remarkably, it’s still in perfect working order, and were it not for the analog signal being switched off a few years ago, you could still get a picture on it.

Young has many happy memories watching her TV set with her family, but also, tragically, one very sad one. Her husband Charlie was killed in an industrial accident in 1969 and she saw news of it on the TV before she was officially informed by the police at the time.

Michael Scott, executive general manager of brand, marketing and loyalty at Myer, said Young’s story perfectly demonstrates how Myer products are so much more than just things people buy.

“They play integral roles in peoples’ lives, and form part of the memories and moments that people cherish,” he said.

“Our Department of Stories’ brand positioning is built from that truth, and it’s great to see it come to life via this campaign.”

Myer has also released two additional campaign films (see below), and will release a series of social films in the coming weeks featuring competition winners and their stories.