ANZ Bank has a history of creating its own media channels for its Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras sponsorship. In past years, ANZ has utilised ATMS and branch space to communicate its pride message. This year, we broke new ground (literally).

To reach LGBTIQ+ individuals living away from Sydney’s Oxford Street parade-route - we created an entirely new media. Transforming ‘other’ Oxford Street signs around the country into shimmering beacons of inclusion at a local community level.

The campaign was supported through social media, PR, outdoor billboards and unique media innovations via Google Street View and Instagram Giphy stickers.

As principal partner of Sydney’s Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, ANZ Bank has firmly established itself as a strong supporter of the LGBTIQ+ community through its annual Mardi Gras campaigns.

In 2018, Sydney Mardi Gras celebrated Australia’s achievement of marriage equality and 40 years of LGBTIQ+ rights in Australia.

Come 2019, sitting inside the Sydney Mardi Gras ‘pride-bubble’ (as we termed it), you could be forgiven for thinking the ‘job was done’ for LGBTIQ+ equality and there was nought left to do but embrace the celebration.

But that would have been naive.

Our campaign objective was to reinforce ANZ’s support for diversity and inclusion and broaden awareness for ANZ’s sponsorship of Mardi Gras.

Acknowledging that we’d come a long way in regards to LGBTIQ+ rights, our brief was to focus on ‘the more to be done’.

Discovering Oxford Street in Sydney (the parade-route) was one of 123 Oxford Streets around Australia, our idea was to spread a little inclusion beyond Sydney to LGBTIQ+ individuals living away from the festival’s ‘pride-bubble’ - many of whom felt isolated and vulnerable.

‘Signs of Love’ saw the ambitious, overnight metamorphosis of ‘other’ Oxford Streets into beacons of pride and inclusion.

In country towns across Australia, Oxford Street signs were transformed into shimmering, 3D sculptures, paying homage to familiar LGBTIQ+ icons, including:

‘We’re Not in Sydney Toto’ - an iconic rainbow.

‘Eternal Flame’- celebrating marriage equality.

‘Coming-Out’, - a unicorn ‘coming out’ in the bush.

“Pink FlaminGo-Go’ - loved-up flamingo sailors.

‘Love-is-Love’ - a lovestruck heart.

‘‘I’m Spinning Around’ - tribute to gay icon Kylie Minogue’s song by the same name.

‘Turn the Party’ - a glittering winged stiletto.

And a giant 123-sign Sydney sculpture pointing towards every other Oxford Street.

If ANZ is to live up to its purpose ‘to help individuals and communities thrive’, then it’s essential, everyone be shown equal respect, no matter their gender, race, sexuality or ability.

Our campaign strategy started with audience research to understand what LGBTIQ+ issue required ANZ’s rally for an equal future.

Interviewing key members of the community, we heard story after story of the isolation and vulnerability felt “growing up gay in the bush”. Exploring this further in commissioned quantitative, we found 84% of LGBTIQ+ felt there were parts of Australia where it was unsafe to be themselves.

And so we had our rally.

From a media perspective, it was clear we needed to reach LGBTIQ+ individuals outside Sydney and callout for an #equalfuture in their communities (both literally and online).

To maximise impact (and budget), we installed a large-scale hero sign in each state.

A reconnaissance of 123 towns wasn’t feasible, so we turned to Google street-view - giving us another idea. What if Google captured new footage for our signs to live-on indefinitely?

In an agency world-first, Google agreed -loaning us their cameras, stitching-in new footage and providing live 360-viewing access for the world to see.

Multiple production teams were dispersed far-and-wide for a simultaneous overnight installation 1.5 weeks ahead of Mardi Gras.

We then hosted regional media launches to unveil each sign to their local community, including the reveal of a giant ‘Sign of Love’ at Sydney’s Bondi Beach pointing to all 123 Oxford Streets.

On the same morning, we posted a social video sharing ANZ’s ‘Signs of Love’ more broadly.

And as a final touch, we created branded Giphy stickers inviting Oxford Streets the world-over to join-in.

The story of Auntie Cece, from the country-town of Mittagong is our proudest result. Our idea was designed to reach LGBTIQ+ individuals isolated from Sydney’s Oxford Street, letting them know it was okay to be gay, or (in Auntie Cece’s case), transgender.

When Mittagong’s sign was vandalised, Cece took to social media, speaking against the hateful act, publicly revealing she was transgender. Sadly, the sign was later stolen and two others vandalised - reinforcing the need for them in the first place.

At a macro level:

-The campaign delivered 239 million impressions

-With 396 earned media hits across TV, Press, Radio and Online.

-99% positive sentiment, 270% higher than competitor banks.

-An incredible 10million giphy sticker views

-78% lift in sponsorship awareness outside Sydney

-50% lift in overall awareness (of an already famous sponsorship)

-25% lift in National belief that ANZ supports diversity & inclusion -