Why is this work relevant for Direct?

We reinvented the poster to speak to an audience glued to their mobile phones. Everything from the way the CTA was placed front and centre to invite interaction, to the strategic placement of the posters was all carefully considered to speak directly to our audience in a way they’re used to — driving them to sign up and apply for an exciting career in Defence.

Background

For decades, Defence Force Recruiting have created posters to persuade people to join the Armed Forces. But as recruitment targets have been rising year-on-year, applications haven’t been hitting the mark—especially with the younger, social media focused generation. So instead of combating the problem with the same old posters, a new contemporary solution was needed to keep up with the times.

Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)

We created a series of posters to engage a digital audience. The designs were kept elegant and simple to spark curiosity—no loud headline, no demanding call to action, just a beautifully crafted visual that hinted at what the code would unlock. Scanning the code revealed an augmented reality experience where people could get up close and personal with a range of exciting Defence Force vehicles. We crafted a rugged Australian outback for our Army tank, an epic vapor trail against a dramatic sky for our Air Force jet, and a rippling ocean in the Sydney Harbour for our Navy Helicopter. Our posters gave future recruits the virtual keys to the Defence Force’s most formidable vehicles. All they had to do was scan to unlock.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

The goal of our campaign was to get a younger generation to scan a snapcode. While older audiences ignore them, the younger generation grew up with them as part of their lives. They know exactly what to do when they see one. So we decided to make them the centrepiece of our creative.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

Our posters went up in Defence Force recruitment centres and at career expo stalls. They were designed to put the possibility of a more exciting career on the radar for young job seekers.

List the results (30% of vote)

The posters created significant increases for the client’s Snapchat engagement. With reach, views, plays and shares increasing week-on-week— successfully converting analogue executions into digital engagement: Total reach: +216.7%, Total views: +406.3%, Total plays: +243.1%, Total shares: +127.6% Ensuring the Australian Defence Force continues to recruit bright, young Australians to pursue future careers in the ADF.