Civics made easy

The truth is that the words 'Australian democratic processes' don't exactly get most people's blood pumping. But with the 2023 referendum for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament fast approaching, Canberra's Museum of Australian Democracy (MoAD) wanted make civics simple and engaging for people in need of reliable information about how it works and what it means.

As lead creative and copywriter on this campaign, it was clear to me that the vastness of this subject could be overcome by breaking it down into digestible pieces. And so we arrived at an educational series presented as an alphabetised glossary, where each letter covered a key term related to referendums, the Constitution, or Australian democratic processes – all explained in accessible language. The campaign spanned social media, website and print materials for libraries and schools. Then, it evolved into an exhibition and national outdoor advertising for JCDecaux billboards and digital signs.

But seriously, did people actually get around a civics lesson? The answer is a resounding yes. The campaign reached 9 million people on social media and attracted 9.3 million impressions via outdoor advertising – far exceeding the initial 500,000-person goal. Click-through rates exceeded industry benchmarks on Facebook and Instagram, and MoAD received numerous messages thanking them for providing clear, neutral information ahead of the referendum. Now *that* gets the blood pumping.

Role overview:

• Ideation

• Copywriting

• Presenting

• Supporting assets co-production