Inside The Story Of The GAYTM
In 2014, ANZ came to advertising agency TBWA asking for a program ad to run around Mardi Gras.
The bank had just increased its sponsorship of the celebration from sponsor to premium partner and wanted to announce its commitment.
What ensued was the hugely successful and internationally acclaimed ‘GAYTM’ campaign.
Based around the original Mardi Gras concept of “out of the bars and into the streets”, the campaign looks to take ANZ’s support for Mardi Gras into streets around Australia.
Speaking at yesterday’s Changing the Ratio annual conference, TBWA executive partner Ricci Meldrum recalls how progressive the bank’s stance was at the time.
“Thankfully now corporate activism and corporate advocacy are much more common, but at the time ANZ was an absolute pioneer,” she said.
“For a conservative organisation like a bank to come out loud and proud, beyond their walls and beyond page 63 of their annual report and really stand up for what they believe in was an incredibly bold move and we thought of a bold campaign to match that.”
TBWA soon came back to the bank with “a sketch of an ATM with feathers and rhinestones” and the rest was history.
The campaign coincided with the early days of Instagram in Australia.
Seeing the potential for the platform to take GAYTMs viral, TBWA convinced ANZ to create an Instagram page and throw some extra force behind running it.
Keeping it fresh
The inaugural 2014 campaign was a resounding success but with the threat of second-year syndrome rife the following year, TBWA and ANZ knew they could not afford to be complacent.
“What we did is we listened to the community,” said Meldrum.
“Every time we went out we thought, ‘what’s going on in the world that we can respond to?'”
2015 took on ‘The Only GAYTM in the village campaign, while the 2016 campaign saw an entire rebrand to ‘GAYNZ’, including a branch takeover on Oxford Street entirely “transformed into a baroque-inspired homage to queer culture”.
The 2017 ‘Hold Tight’ campaign followed a spate of unsuccessful attempts for marriage equality and urged Australians to remain hopeful, which Facebook reported doubled the conversation around the topic on its site at the time.
Sure enough by Mardi Gras 2018, the marriage equality law had passed through parliament.
“We had to celebrate it, we came full-circle and went back to ‘YAYNZ,'” said Meldrum. “Each year we responded to what was happening in the community.”\
Dealing with backlash
Coming out with such a bold campaign, ANZ and TBWA knew there would be backlash from certain parts of the community.
What they didn’t know was that the campaign would look after itself.
“The encouraging thing was how overwhelmingly positive it was,” Meldrum said.
“The community came out and actually spoke and managed the issue on our behalf.”
Latest News
Brisbane Agency Colony Celebrates A String Of Client Wins & Growth
A new player has arrived on the Brisbane scene – and it’s growing fast. Colony is a strategic communications advisory that started in Port Moresby in 2015, working with major Asia-Pacific clients like the Brian Bell Group, Digicel and Puma Energy. To build a greater capacity to support the Port Moresby office and serve these […]
Mitch Churi Moves Into ARN’s Evening Prime Time Spot
Mitch Churi has finally nabbed a prime time radio slot on KIIS after slogging it out on nights. Churi will now be taking over the airwaves on KIIS from 7-10 pm on weekdays. So you’ll be able to hear him discuss all things celebrity and pop culture while making dinner – what a vibe. Churi […]
AnalogFolk Group Launches A Behavioural Transformation Consultancy
AnalogFolk Group Launches Behavioural Transformation Consultancy, MindWorks Consulting. Focused on delivering improved business outcomes, the consultancy applies behavioural economics to both marketing strategy and organisational design. In a rapidly changing world, companies need to be nimbler than ever before, reading and reacting at pace to changing market conditions, competitor landscapes and customer needs. New technologies […]
Ellie Angel Joins Brisbane’s B105 As New Morning Host
Brisbane's B105 promising even more Powderfinger, as Ellie Angel joins the breakfast crew.
In True Aussie Style, Australian Lamb Is Roasting The Novak Djokovic Saga
Apparently "nothing unites like lamb". Except if you're a vegan, animal liberationist or the world's top tennis player.
Ash Barty Stuns & Trades Her Tennis Whites For Designer Whites In Amazing Aussie Vogue Cover
If Ash Barty wins this year's Australian Open, at least the republican movement has their first president of Australia.
Microsoft Makes The Biggest Tech Deal In History After Snaring Activision Blizzard
Microsoft's CFO writing a massive $US69 billion cheque this morning. Still confused if that has nine zeroes in it or 10.
Zendesk CX Report Shows More Than Half Of Consumers Feel Like Service Is An Afterthought
It's a fine line with customer service - none at all or the annoying salesperson that trails you the moment you walk in.
YoPro Go Guilt-Free With New High Protein Frozen Dessert Tubs
If B&T ever visited a gym & required some form of post-workout snack, we'd possibly consider YoPro Frozen Dessert tubs.
A Slew Of Love Islanders Have Landed On The Watchdog’s Repeat Offender List
B&T only watches Love Island for serious industry research and in-depth analysis such as this. Oh, and for the perve.
Nurofen Launches New Campaign Celebrating Aussie Heroes
Nurofen launches new campaign celebrating Aussie heroes. Still, no sign of 3am kebab operators or even Scotty Boland.
Gucci, North Face & Francis Bourgeois Team-Up For Wonderful Ode To Trainspotters Everywhere
Trainspotting is suddenly cool. And by that we mean the The Ghan or the express to Gosford, not heroin addiction.
Deloitte Digital Wins Round Four Of Siren Awards With Sea Shanty Ad
A sea shanty has won round four of the Siren Awards. And, no, Captains Pugwash & Birdseye weren't on the judging panel.
Update: Cannes In Cairns Shifts To May 16th-18th 2022!
Cannes In Cairns has moved, but is the only industry event where you can drink from a coconut & not look like an idiot.
Byron Cooke Announces Radio Return At Melbourne’s KIIS 101.1
Beloved radio personality, Byron Cooke is back on Melbourne breakfast radio, announcing he will host KIIS 101.1 breakfast this morning and will back behind the mic until February when the Jase & Lauren in the Morning show returns. The announcement follows news regular breakfast co-host, Jase Hawkins, is expecting his third baby any day now. “I’ve been mates […]
Reverend Tim Costello Blasts The AFL’s Cryptocurrency Deal
AFL's newly announced crytpo deal has come under fire. Sports betting agencies just happy the heat's off them for a bit.
Howatson+Company Nabs CHEP’s Hoang Nguyen For Chief Data & Tech Officer Role
Howatson+Company appoints Hoang Nguyen as chief data and tech officer & supreme commander of the frozen staff computer.
Apple Set To Enforce Proof Of Covid-19 Booster Shot For Employees
Enforcing the booster shot not only protects staff & customers, it also helps cull the freaks and conspiracy theorists.
Facebook Not High On Hemp Advertising
In what could prove bad news for the entire NSW far north coast region, Facebook's reportedly refusing hemp advertising.
NBCUniversal And Publicis Media To Trial Real-Time Audience Measurement At Super Bowl
For the massive exposure the annual Super Bowl gets, it's surprising how deeply unpopular the game of gridiron remains.
Twitter Tees Off With Veiled Criticism Of Australian Government Inquiry
The federal government continues to find few friends among the tech giants. Few friends anywhere, really.
ABC Shares User Data Despite Repeated Warnings Against It
On the upside of the ABC sharing user's data, at least we'll know who the basket weaving, Champagne socialists are.
How Will Mobile Marketing Change After A Disruptive Year?
If your game's mobile marketing, then this is a 'must-read'. If not, it's a 'possible read' or 'nothing better' read.
Pedestrian Group Unveils New Vice Australia & NZ Leadership Team
Vice unveils its new leadership team who could easily be mistaken for a bad hip hop troupe from Australia's Got Talent.
If They Cannes, You Cannes: The Monkeys’ Katie Kidd Encourages Young Creatives To “Just Do It!”
Cannes Young Lions is open to all young, dynamic creatives. And if that isn't you, lying could always be an option.
Global Volumetric Video Market Expected To Experience A Surge In Advertising Demand
Report finds global volumetric video market set to treble in size. Making this article a veiled share market tip, too.
Aussie Open’s Virtual Decentraland Means Even Novak Djokovic Can Still Attend
You can now visit the Australian Open virtually all minus the ludicrous beer prices and Nick Kyrgios' tantrums.
Video Game Giant Activision Blizzard Fires Several Employees For Workplace Misconduct
Video gamer Activision Blizzard has sacked a number of employees for gross misconduct. Read all the sordidness here.
TikTok Set To Debut A New Twitter-Inspired Feature
TikTok set to debut a Twitter-inspired feature which B&T hopes is celebrities saying dumb things before deleting it.
Instagram Beats Out TikTok For Most Downloaded App In 2021’s Final Quarter
Instagram beats TikTok for most downloaded app. Still, neither doing much for narcissism and social isolation.
