| Title | BUILDBOARD |
| Brand | DEFENCE FORCE RECRUITING |
| Product / Service | AUSTRALIAN NAVY |
| Category | A03. Use of Outdoor |
| Entrant | GEORGE PATTERSON Y&R Melbourne, AUSTRALIA |
| Entrant Company | GEORGE PATTERSON Y&R Melbourne, AUSTRALIA |
| Advertising Agency | GEORGE PATTERSON Y&R Melbourne, AUSTRALIA |
| Name | Company | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Ben Coulson | GPYR | Chief Creative Officer |
| Ben Coulson | GPYR | Executive Creative Director |
| Evan Roberts | GPYR | Creative Director |
| Joe Sibley | GPYR | Art Director |
| Luke Simkins | GPYR | Art Director |
| Psembi Kinstan | GPYR | Copywriter |
| Evan Roberts | GPYR | Copywriter |
| Romanca Jasinski | GPYR | Executive Producer |
| Katherine Muir | GPYR | Producer |
| Paige Prettyman | GPYR | Account Director |
Not only did we show the top Australian engineering minds what a career in the Navy would be like, we convinced the best to join. With 82 roles required to be filled, we filled each one and for the first time in Navy recruiting history, we created a waiting list. A dramatic turnaround, considering there were many roles vacant just 3 months prior. Importantly for the Navy, this activity created a stronger connection to Australia’s best engineering institutions that will carry on for years to come. And for Australia, these recruits ensure a vital part of our Defence Force stays functioning at its peak.
ENGINEERING BUILDBOARD IS A TARGETED AMBIENT CAMPAIGN THAT SAW ENGINEERING STUDENTS TURN OUR OUTDOOR INTO OCEAN GOING VESSELS. Starting with online teasers and posters in universities, teams were created. Then using their know-how, the students had to design and construct the ultimate vessel using only what could be found on the billboard. This not only tested the skills they will need for a career as an engineer in the Navy, but showed them how important team work is as well. The two best vessels then faced off in a test of speed, balance and maneuverability, with the victors winning a fast track to a role in the Navy. But the event was just the beginning with the competition attracting the attention of the wider engineering audience and has since been decided to become an annual event.
BRIEF: Recruit the best young engineers for roles in the Navy. PROBLEM: The Royal Australian Navy was running critically low on engineers – a huge problem considering it boasts some of the most state-of-the-art hardware in the country. This problem is largely due to Australia’s booming mining industry offering our most promising talent extremely lucrative contracts. In this environment, convincing the best talent to join the Navy is no easy task. We needed to find a way to engage University Engineering students and give them a taste of how rewarding a career as a navy engineer can be. To make the activity relevant to client and audience, we decided to use our media in a way that would challenge these young engineers, literally.