A FIRE INSIDE

Bronze Spike

Case Film

Presentation Image

TitleA FIRE INSIDE
BrandNRMA INSURANCE
Product / ServiceINSURANCE
CategoryD01. Media Relations
EntrantTHINKERBELL Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Idea Creation THINKERBELL Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Idea Creation 2 THE TUESDAY CLUB Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
Media Placement INITIATIVE Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
PR THINKERBELL Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Production FINCH Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Post Production ATTICUS Paddington, AUSTRALIA
Additional Company ICON FILM DISTRIBUTION Newtown, AUSTRALIA
Additional Company 2 SONAR MUSIC Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Additional Company 3 UNISON Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Additional Company 4 ASSEMBLY Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
Additional Company 5 FRANKLIN RD Auckland, NEW ZEALAND

Credits

Name Company Position
Adam Ferrier Thinkerbell Strategy
Jim Ingram Thinkerbell Strategy
Adam Ferrier Thinkerbell Strategy
Jim Ingram Thinkerbell Strategy
Paul Swann Thinkerbell Strategy
Gerry Cyron Thinkerbell Strategy
Gerry Cyron Thinkerbell Strategy
Ruth Hatch Thinkerbell Account Service
Natalie Duncan Thinkerbell Earned Media
Taylor York Thinkerbell Earned Media
Margie Reid Thinkerbell Strategy
Katie Dally Thinkerbell Strategy
Ebony Gaylor Decade Of Action Contributing Writer
Nick Worthington The Tuesday Club Writer
Billy Worthington The Tuesday Club Creative
Matt Oak The Tuesday Club Design
Frith Armstrong The Tuesday Club Production
Rosie Grayson The Tuesday Club Production
Alex O'Shaughnessy The Tuesday Club Editing
Justin Krook FINCH Writer/Director
Luke Mazzaferro FINCH Co Director/ Writer
Michael Hilliard FINCH Production
Camilla Mazzaferro FINCH Production
Casey Ventura FINCH Production
Rob Galluzzo FINCH Production
Corey Esse FINCH Production
Jacqueline Maxted FINCH Production
Andrew Flakelar FINCH Production
Carla McGrath FINCH Production
Josh Flavell ACS FINCH DOP
Scott Walmsley FINCH Editor
Matteo Zingales Sonar Music Composer
Sam Geer Initiative Media
Chris Colter Initiative Media
Simon Reid Initiative Media
Andrew Morrill Initiative Media
Elyse Foley Initiative Media
Alison Bongailas Initiative Media
Jessica Scott Initiative Media
Nathan Vega Initiative Media
Brent Smart NRMA Insurance Client
Zara Curtis NRMA Insurance Client
Raelene Metlitzky NRMA Insurance Client
Ramana James NRMA Insurance Client
Sally Kiernan NRMA Insurance Client
Luke Farrell NRMA Insurance Client
Caroline Hugall NRMA Insurance Client
Anna Jackson NRMA Insurance Client
Jaclyn Gordon NRMA Insurance Client
Tom Dodd NRMA Insurance Client
Lisa Jarvis NRMA Insurance Client
Danielle Picker NRMA Insurance Client
Luke Mortimer NRMA Insurance Client
Keira McIntosh NRMA Insurance Client
Amanda Wallace NRMA Insurance Client
Alexandra Peard NRMA Insurance Client
Simeon Bartholomew NRMA Insurance Client
Matthew Abbott Matthew Abbott Photography Photography
Shane Fitzsimmons Resilience NSW Writer
Geoff Blackwell Blackwell & Ruth Publishing
Ruth Hobday Blackwell & Ruth Book Editor
Cameron Gibb Blackwell & Ruth Design Direction

Why is this work relevant for PR?

In 2020, the Black Summer bushfires ravaged the Australian landscape. But the fires didn’t define this horrific natural disaster…help did. NRMA Insurance released A FIRE INSIDE – a significant project including a feature documentary and a book telling the stories of devastation - and the help reflex that lies within all of us. With the aim of inspiring a national volunteer movement across Australia. The project generated over 370 pieces of news coverage, reaching over 59 million people. It has redefined what's possible with earned media, highlighting its power to motivate people into action.

Background

NRMA Insurance’s data shows Australia’s going to be facing more extreme temperatures, more droughts, more intense bushfire seasons, and more destructive floods and storms in the future. Help sits at the core of NRMA Insurance and the brand has a vision to encourage all Australians to take preventive action against these extreme weather events to build more resilient communities. NRMA Insurance has created a suite of action-oriented programs that inspire people to proactively prepare - ‘A Fire Inside’ is the brand’s most ambitious project to date. The objective of A Fire Inside was to be the lightning strike that generates an army of helpers - 125,000 volunteers within the next 5 years - for the newly created Australian Resilience Corps developed by Minderoo Foundation & founding partner NRMA Insurance. PR was utilised to create cultural interest for the film and book, & ultimately drive sign ups to the Australian Resilience.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

In 2020, NRMA Insurance saw cinematographer Andrew Flakelear’s front line footage from the Black Summer and saw a unique opportunity to create a cultural conversation around how help is becoming Australia’s most important resource. Set against the backdrop of the worst bushfires in Australian history, 'A Fire Inside' is a poignant documentary that turns a sensitive lens on the unprecedented devastation of the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, focusing on the human stories of help. To accompany the feature length documentary, NRMA Insurance partnered with book creator Blackwell & Ruth, to create a legacy coffee table book: ‘A Fire Inside: The Power of the Human Help Reflex’. In line with the launch of the film & book, NRMA Insurance joined Minderoo Foundation to create the Australian Resilience Corps – a national network of volunteers trained to prepare/protect Australians against natural disasters; to create the nation’s largest army of volunteers ever seen.

Describe the PR strategy (30% of vote)

The focus was not on the fires, but the human stories –how all of Australia wanted to help. NRMA Insurance wanted to make sure the national conversation revolved around what can be done to prepare for future natural disasters. Whilst producing the film & book, The Minderoo Foundation – who feature in the film –said they were planning to build ‘The ‘Australian Resilience Corps’ and described the documentary as a catalyst that could start the formation of the corps. The ‘Australian Resilience Corps’ became our call to action for consumers, that piqued the earned worthiness of the campaign. Through earned media, the various mediums created for ‘A Fire Inside’ (film & book), were utilised to act as a catalyst to spark a conversation around the growing need to provide more help across the country, & how Aussies could provide actual help by joining Minderoo Foundation’s newly launched ‘Australian Resilience Corps’.

Describe the PR execution (20% of vote)

The PR approach comprised of five key beats: July 2021: The film was the heart of the project and launched in cinema via a partnership with ICON Film Distribution. Their publicity team placed it in entertainment and mainstream news placements. October 2021: Photo-journalist Matthew Abbott partook in a publicity tour for his photography and corresponding book launch. November 2021: Minderoo Foundation announced the ‘Australian Resilience Corps’, using the film as a catalyst to inspire others to join Australia’s largest ever volunteer movement. December 2021: The film was aired nationally on free to air TV station NINE on a prime time evening slot and was available to view on their streaming platform 9Now. News outlets covered the human stories of help in the film to drive storytelling for its airing. December 2021: NRMA Insurance drove local and international stories in major marketing outlets, to highlight their involvement with the project.

List the results (30% of vote)

The earned media activity helped us generate 371 pieces of top tier earned news coverage across TV, newspapers, radio, online and social media channels with a potential reach of over 59,000,000. This meant Aussies saw news coverage for the campaign potentially more than twice. 100% of news coverage was either positive or neutral, with a combined advertising space rate value of over $5 million (source: iSentia). News coverage was secured in all major news outlets (sometimes more than once) including prime time national news program The Project and major morning and evening news programs including ABC Breakfast, A Current Affair, Today Show, Sunrise, Studio 10, Ch 7 News and WIN News. Storytelling was also secured en masse in major newspapers and online news including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The Age, Broadsheet, Concrete Playground, Al Jazeera News, Nine.com.au and News.com.au. Radio spots also landed in nationally syndicated programs across 3AW, ABC, 4BC, 2GB and 2SER. A Fire Inside has sparked the imagination of the Australian public with millions now seeing the film, and even more being exposed to the earned media and hype surrounding the project. The recruitment stage has just begun, with sign ups coming in fast to the Australian Resilience Corps. A further recruitment drive, off the back of A Fire Inside, will be starting March 2022.

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