| Title | GAME ON WITH THE AUSTRALIAN NAVY |
| Brand | AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT |
| Product / Service | DEFENCE FORCE RECRUITING |
| Category | B05. Public Service, Charity & Fund Raising |
| Entrant | UNIVERSAL MCCANN Surry Hills, AUSTRALIA |
| Entrant Company: | UNIVERSAL MCCANN Surry Hills, AUSTRALIA |
| Sales Promotion/Advertising Agency: | UNIVERSAL MCCANN Surry Hills, AUSTRALIA |
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Katherine Fraser | Communications Director |
| Julianne Ngu | Trader |
| Claire Zappia | Media Executive |
| Ensemble Australia | |
| Reprise | |
| Gpy/R |
Our challenge was to improve awareness of the Australian Navy as a career option whilst increasing both interest and driving applications for technical Navy roles (such as (such as Cryptologic Systems Sailor). With the brand seen as old fashioned and out of touch we needed to refresh the perception of the Navy and get young people applying for these critical jobs.
What if we could specifically target the group that we know had the ability, competitive nature and ambition to succeed in these technical Navy jobs? The hardcore gamers of Australia. The insight: We knew the skills and personal characteristics of hardcore gamers were exactly those needed for these technical Navy jobs. The strategy: Exploit the gaming insight by thinking big, stirring their competitive spirit and allowing them to meet Navy staff firsthand. The idea: GAME ON WITH THE NAVY - one of the largest gaming tournaments Australia had ever seen.
• 35% of gamers who attended the event said they would consider a career in the Navy - an increase of 15%. • Awareness of the Navy increased by 21%. • 33% of participants really liked the Navy brand - an increase of 22%. • The content from the event was the 10th most viewed within the YouTube gaming category, with 123,388 views in total, and an outstanding peak rating of 4.27 out of 5. • Enquires for the roles outlined were strong throughout the campaign period, with 234 applications received, and a further 90 applications in the following month.
A promotion with youth radio station NOVA drove traffic to the NOVA website where a Navy-themed online game gave players the chance to win a spot at the ‘Game On’ event. Cinema and digital media spread the message and encouraged entries. The top 200 players were pitted against Navy personnel in an all night competitive challenge. Gamers could talk to officers about life in the Navy, their roles and find out more about suitable jobs. At 6am NOVA breakfast hosts announced the winner. Exclusive content was captured and distributed via YouTube to reach gamers that couldn’t attend.