The terror threat is set to prove a lucrative one for agencies up until the coming federal election with the Turnbull government today rolling out its latest attempt to keep we good citizens vigilant against the evils of terror.
The adverts – that will appear on TV, OOH, print, online and radio – are called “If it doesn’t add up, speak up” and will reportedly cost over $8 million. The campaign is to be run by Sydney-based firm Mitchell & Partners.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPYOHveoOn4
The ads came about from a $150,000 study that found that there was low levels of community awareness about the 1800 national security hotline. “The public plays a major role in providing information to law enforcement and intelligence agencies charged with protecting the community and it is important that we keep that information flowing,” campaign material says.
The latest $8 million spend is part of an estimated $100 million the Coalition government has spent on advertising since coming to power in September 2013 (note: Labor spent $140 million when it last governed). The latest national security ads follow on from arguably the most famous attempt to keep us all vigilante – John Howard’s famed “Be alert, not alarmed” campaign that followed-on from the September 11 attacks in 2001.