Clemenger BBDO Sydney wins government pitch to rebrand Australia
Clemenger BBDO Sydney has won Austrade’s creative tender and will now be tasked with developing Australia’s ‘nation brand’.
The government tender was worth $3m and sought an agency which could create “a unified brand” and a “more consistent brand approach” which “will bring together Australia’s export strengths – such as tourism, agricultural products and education – under one Australian banner”.
Photo by Leio McLaren (@leiomclaren) on Unsplash
The win comes seven months after the government announced it was seeking an agency “with the best creative minds” to create the next generation of Australia’s international branding.
Clemenger BBDO Sydney beat three other shortlisted agencies, including Saatchi & Saatchi, Host/Havas and Interbrand Australia.
Fiona de Jong, the head of Australia’s nation brand at Austrade, said the government agency was delighted to appoint Clemenger BBDO after an extensive and global search.
She also hinted the rebrand – which includes cementing Australia as a trusted exporter of premium-quality goods and services, a competitive investment destination, a quality provider of education, and a great place to visit – needed to be far more than the aesthetics of the country.
Clemenger BBDO will need to tap into more than just Australia’s cute and cuddly wildlife (Photo by David Clode on Unsplash)
“It’s time we were recognised for more than our beautiful beaches, unique animals and friendly people,” she said.
“It’s our uniqueness, resilience and resourcefulness that will take Australia into the future and all these things together form our unique offering to the world.
“The nation brand concept is aimed at firmly positioning Australia as a trusted source of premium quality goods and services; an internationally competitive investment destination; a quality provider of education; and a fabulous place to visit for business or leisure.”
Emily Perrett, managing director at Clemenger BBDO Sydney, added: “Opportunities like these are once in a lifetime and we’re thrilled to be able to contribute to the continued development and recognition of our country on a global scale.”
The win comes at a pivotal time for Clemenger BBDO Sydney as the agency lost its biggest account, Tourism Australia, in December.
Meanwhile the agency also relinquished another client, TAB, to M&C Saatchi.
Abigail Dawson was Mumbrella's senior content journalist covering event content. She left Mumbrella to move into an agency role in 2020.
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Emily Perrett
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While pleased for Clemms – with the best will in the world Austrade aren’t in charge of Australia’s Nation Brand. And even if they were a $ 3 million dollar budget is laughably inadequate to have any real impact given the multitude of other forces effecting how the world sees Australia.
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The old ‘under one banner’ — the default strategy when you have no strategy. All this approach does is straight-jacket the creative to conform with the agreed brand look and feel – and probably a strapline that creatives will play twister to make relevant to their work.
If you’re going to do this you need to ask yourself why you need to unify diverse products such as tourism, agricultural products and education. What is to be gained? Because a shipload of creative options are going to be lost.
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The people at Clem’s are smart. I hope they see this as a process for collaboration rather than another clever but competitive and underfunded logo and brand expression.
Then it just might not be a waste of time.
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Congratulations to Clemenger BBDO Sydney, we are in safe hands.
A so-called “unified brand” of Australia will never be creatively limiting, it will certainly help to smother the notion of a land cluttered with cuddy marsupials and the oddly still surviving expectation of seeing swagmen wearing hats with corks attached.
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Australia the land of equal opportunity.
Yes, you too can have a shot at PM like the latest half-a-dozen.
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Come an see our new prime minister – this, year, next year, every year.
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Australia. Your just a 457 visa away from a longer stay
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Strategic thought # 3
“Australia, where the bloody hell are we?”
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Australia. Where time has stood still for 7 years
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Safe hands… they are an ad agency, not a brand agency. They have butchered the logo
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