ABS rolls out $29m 2021 Census campaign with UM and BMF
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has launched its 2021 Census campaign aimed at achieving a 95% participation rate across Australia.
The ABS is working with IPG media agency UM and creative agency BMF (Enero Group). According to tender documents, the campaign is worth $27.3 million in media spend, while BMF received $1.8 million for the creative work, in what will be one of the most complex media communications rollouts in Australia, targeting every household across the country.
The three-month campaign is centred around the messaging ‘Every stat tells a story’, designed to promote the benefit of the Census to individuals, families and communities.
It will also be closely monitored by around 20,000 ABS staff to ensure participation rates are met.
The paid aspect of the campaign is taking place over three phases: ‘The Census is coming’, ‘It’s time to complete your Census’ and, a final phase, ‘It’s not too late to participate. During this last phase the campaign will include responsive, targeted advertising platforms in postcodes with low response rates.
The Census campaign will be present across all channels of the media, and messaging is being transcribed into 19 Indigenous languages and a further 29 languages other than English.
UM Canberra client director, Rebecca Warton, said: “The Census is a very detailed and extensive project in partnership with the ABS.
“It is an important snapshot of our nation that provides unique insights to help plan our next five years.”
UM has developed media owner partnerships with News Corp/Foxtel, and Nova Entertainment, to deliver the campaign across their networks via a long-form storytelling concept.
In addition, UM helped form a partnership between Nova and TRSN to leverage Nova’s metro-driven content across TRSN’s regional network.
The campaign runs until 19 September.
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Zanda Wilson was a reporter and podcast producer at Mumbrella, specialising in radio reporting. He left Mumbrella in September 2021.
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