Business Australia, a recently launched free membership organisation which is already supporting over 40,000 businesses across Australia, has launched a campaign urging business owners and managers to seek support to help them navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
The integrated campaign – devised and launched within a week by Six Black Pens and Chalk Co – is a pivot from Business Australia’s planned launch campaign to instead communicate the essential support businesses across Australia need during this crisis.
In the ad, we see questions pop up as we move through a stylised Australian landscape, acknowledging some of the major concerns facing the business community in Australia right now.
As part of this shift in creative, the new Business Australia website has been converted into a COVID-19 hub, full of free resources and advice for businesses to draw upon. The day of TVC airing saw the highest traffic to date on businessaustralia.com, with page views currently up 300 per cent since the launch of the COVID-19 hub just over a week ago.
Business Australia Chief Customer Experience Officer Richard Spencer says: “This is an incredibly challenging time for businesses in Australia. In a matter of weeks, business owners’ have had their worlds turned upside down, and are facing untold economic, HR and legal challenges. We have adapted our marketing strategy to direct businesses to our dedicated COVID-19 hub to help them navigate the tough days ahead.”
“We’re also proud to be working with a number of independently-owned Australian agencies as our partners in delivering this important message”.
Oli Vickery, Director, Six Black Pens, says the decision to move from the planned brand creative to direct response was about responding to the market’s changing needs, fast.
“This is a complex time for brands in Australia, and around the world – there’s no playbook for what type of marketing works right now. However, it’s clear that the usual rules don’t apply,” Vickery says.
“In less than a week, Six Black Pens created a completely new campaign, driving a service message sharing immediate access to valuable tools and resources. The challenge was about using our channels in a different way and getting Business Australia’s expertise to as many businesses as possible, effectively and fast.”
“From a brand point of view – I don’t think any flashy creative would demonstrate their value as well as their current response does.”
The ad aired on Wednesday, 25 March on Channel 7 and will roll out across Nine, 10 and Sky News later this month. The TVC is supported with an integrated media campaign across OOH, social and digital both in metro and regional markets, overseen by Slingshot.
Nick Rutherford, Associate Business Director at Slingshot, says, “The past fortnight we have seen an unprecedented surge in TV audiences, video on demand and subscription services due to self-isolation and social distancing. With News programming now playing a crucial part in people’s day-to-day, we have pivoted to these environments where people are seeking reassurance.”
