Regional media has never been more important. As Bernard Salt AM told a room full of Sydneysider media buyers earlier this year, not only is the smart money moving to the regions but smart people are too—in fact, Salt expects that at least a million people to move from metro areas to the regions over the next decade.
The Gold Coast’s population, according to Salt, would rise by some 60,000, Newcastle’s by more than 50,000 and the Sunshine Coast’s by as much as 86,000.
As such, the B&T Awards’ Best Regional Media Campaign, brought to you by Boomtown, is imbued with an extra sense of gravitas this year.
Before then, however, here’s a look at the finalists. Here’s what they told us in their own words. You can get a look at the rest of the campaign entries for this year’s B&T Awards here.
Assembled Media, “Kioti – More Horses”, PFG Australia
For over 20 years, Kioti has worked to deliver a product portfolio dedicated to the ever-changing and challenging Australian conditions.
As a brand though, farmers saw Kioti as a low horsepower option and considering they tend to opt for the highest ‘horsepower per dollar’ the brand was finding itself in a tricky spot.
In 2022, In a market that grew by 3%, Kioti sales decreased by 10%.
With an all new high horsepower range of tractors, built tough for what the modern Australian farmer needs, Kioti was ready to claw back their market share.
The only issue? They didn’t want to be lost in the clutter.
The solution? We decided to focus on what farmers care about most, their sports, and their local communities. Leveraging the Kayo platform, we aligned with Australian Sporting moments across AFL, NRL and Cricket We took the same approach across YouTube, injecting more horses into those powerful sporting moments.
We even appeared in the Superbowl.
We engaged with our Farmers like never before, reaching over 1 million people in premium sports environments across Kayo, Nine and Seven, we also saw 1.7 million views of the More Horses content on YouTube.
This, Combined with 31 press insertions with a reach of 2.9 million people alongside 1,371 radio spots.
We truly covered regional Australia.
The results? They speak for themselves.
Engaged web traffic increased 21% YoY.
Market share increased a massive 31% YoY.
We actually saw a 6% increase in unit sales in a market that dropped by 25%. With the brand-new High horsepower range accounting for over 30% of total Kioti Sales.
Proving more horses by Kioti, gives more power to Aussie farmers.
Find out who’s at the top of their game at the B&T Awards.
Southern Cross Austereo and OMD, “Fill The Space”, Telstra
Fill the Space leveraged the reach of Regional radio to deliver targeted Telstra Starlink content through trusted local personalities, tailored creative approaches, and seamless integrations. This campaign significantly boosted awareness and adoption of the product in rural and regional Australia, utilizing the extensive SCA network of both owned and partnered assets. Telstra’s existing event activation formed the cornerstone of our campaign, celebrating this pivotal event with locally relevant content.
The unique element of this campaign was the ability to collaborate and align across multiple media owners to deliver the same message with a local flavour where listeners could engage with their locally adorned talent for their chance to win, thanks to Telstra Starlink.
Find out who’s at the top of their game at the B&T Awards.
University of Tasmania, “Study is an Adventure”, University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania’s “Study is an adventure” campaign aimed to support educational equity for regional and remote (RR) students by highlighting Tasmania’s unique study options and supportive environment. Recognising the challenges RR students face—including limited resources and opportunities—the campaign leveraged Tasmania’s natural beauty and community support to position the University as an immersive educational destination.
Research showed that RR students from mainland Australia were attracted to Tasmania for its natural landscapes and outdoor experiences. This insight shaped the campaign to emphasise Tasmania not just as a study location, but as a transformative environment for personal and academic growth.
Key objectives included enhancing brand visibility in mainland regional markets, increasing website interactions and lead generation, and achieving an increase in study applications. The campaign ran from August 2023 to February 2024, employing a digital-first approach with social media and search marketing, complemented by traditional media channels such as out-of-home, radio, and cinema.
Results were significant: a 70% increase in lead submissions and a 34% rise in applications from targeted regional areas, leading to a 14% growth in domestic student enrolments. Notable increases were seen in adult learners and specific programs like the Bachelor of Marine and Antarctic Science.
In summary, the “Study is an adventure” campaign effectively positioned the University of Tasmania as a premier educational destination through strategic insights, creative execution, and measurable outcomes. By showcasing Tasmania’s appeal and addressing specific audience motivations, the campaign not only boosted awareness but also drove substantial application and enrolment growth, demonstrating its excellence in regional media planning and execution.