The Guardian Australia has announced its nationwide partnership with JCDecaux and its first-ever brand platform and campaign as part of a multi-year growth strategy.
The national partnership with JCDecaux will see Guardian headlines, as well as brand campaign artwork, appear on train station screens, large format sites and street furniture across the country.
Curated directly by the Guardian’s newsroom, the headlines will provide commuters with the top news stories of the day, targeting peak travel times during the morning and afternoon.
It will expose a projected 5.2million people to factual, independent news items each month. The headlines are expected to go live in August, supplementing the brand campaign which is live today.
The brand campaign tagline, ‘In the fight for progress, news needs a guardian’, highlights the progressive role that the Guardian plays in the Australian media market.
The brand platform, ‘news needs a guardian’, highlights the need for the Guardian’s independent and factual journalism at a moment when trust in news media is waning.
Research conducted by YouGov for Guardian Australia earlier this year revealed that 82% of the population believe that media ownership influences the content that’s published. Data also showed that one-third of the population wants more access to media that represents their values.
Produced by agency Howatson+Co, the campaign is focused on some of Guardian Australia’s core editorial themes: the fight for progress in women’s equality, Indigenous rights and the climate crisis.
The campaign will include multiple films and dynamic digital OOH, which will be updated throughout the campaign in response to news events. It will run across TV, digital, OOH and cinema.
Jocelin Abbey, director of growth at Guardian Australia, said: “We have a clear point of difference in this market as a progressive, independent and trusted news publisher.
“Integrating Guardian headlines into the daily routines of Australian news consumers will not only improve their commuter experience, but it will address the growing demand for independent, fact-based reporting, and scale access to it at the same time.
“By highlighting our unique brand of journalism, we will engage audiences seeking values-aligned media options, and inspire them to join our supporter community,” she added.
Max Eburne, JCDecaux chief commercial officer, said: “The Guardian is leveraging JCDecaux’s Digital Out-of-Home network and XTrackTV sites to deliver high-quality, factual journalism to Australians around the country.
“This innovative partnership will demonstrate the power of promoting both brand and product alongside one another across a suite of Out-of-Home inventory that reaches consumers in receptive and targeted environments,” he added.