Due to a batch of cheap, contaminated imports Australia was in the midst of a Hepatitis outbreak. This caused nationwide alarm about country of origin food labelling. It was the biggest news story in the country – we knew that instigating a labelling conversation would gain major media traction, and only one company was willing to act.

Australia’s largest fruit processor (SPC) used the thing at the heart of the issue – the labelling – and overhauled their most iconic Australian brands to galvanise the nation with a heartwarming initiative called #MyFamilyCan.

In a massive undertaking, we dedicated the company’s most valuable advertising real estate to Australian farming families.

In doing so, we converted 4 million cans of SPC’s biggest brands into an educational media space in every major Australian supermarket. More significantly, the farmers went home to millions of households and ignited a nationwide labelling conversation.

Next we triggered a surge of support from families all over Australia. We launched a deeply moving film, TV spots at popular and highly emotive Australian events, a substantial PR drive and nationwide POS, then activated the nation socially with real-time response, targeted influencer communications and swathes of ‘branded’ content led by families, not brands.

Due to the overwhelming support for #MyFamilyCan, a rerun was ordered within 2 days. Commentary spread from social media to major news networks and the Australian Government, as the Australian people called for initiatives such as this to be mandatory for all brands

While the nation was extremely sensitive about the origins of food, our goal was to empower consumers in the supermarket aisles, change the way Australians think about food labelling and drive aggressive sales volumes over a sustained period.

After detailed analysis of social media and public sentiment around food labelling, SPC made a very bold, very public move to influence an issue that was affecting the nation.

#MyFamilyCan had a purpose far beyond just packaging design. We deliberately overhauled SPC’s biggest brands to spark a nationwide conversation and pave the way for labelling change.

Due to the overwhelming response, a rerun was ordered within 2 days. Shortly after, commentary spread from social media to major news networks and the Australian Government.

• #MyFamilyCan reached half of all Australian families

• Engagement 21 times above industry average

• 1.2 million direct social interactions

• 3.7 million video views

• 1 million units sold in first month

• Rerun ordered within 2 days

• 17% sales uplift

What is category defining about #MyFamilyCan is that SPC put real farming families ahead of the product. Sales are dependent on consumers quickly recognizing the iconic branding.

To overhaul its most valuable brand properties and risk significant revenue to influence a nationwide conversation is incredibly courageous. And it made Australians trust the brand even more.

With a genuinely emotional campaign, #MyFamilyCan empowered millions of Australians to make the right choice for their family and paved the way for labelling change. All with a humble can.

In a substantial undertaking, we dedicated SPC’s most valuable brand real estate – its labelling – to Australian farming families. This converted 4 million cans of SPC’s biggest brands into an educational media space in every major Australian supermarket. These cans went home to millions of households and ignited a nationwide labelling conversation.

As the debate raged across the land, in the news and social media, we triggered a surge of support from Australian families. We launched a heartwarming film, TV spots at big Australian events and a substantial PR drive including personalised #MyFamilyCan media kits. Then we activated the nation socially with real-time response, targeted influencer communications and swathes of ‘branded’ content led by families, not brands.

To cement the Family Can legacy, we honoured families who showed support socially with a real family tree in the farmers’ orchards, which will grow SPC fruit for generations to come.

This was a time when Australian consumers were extremely sensitive about what they were feeding their families because the existing food labelling system didn’t deliver enough information to help make informed choices at the supermarket shelf.

While the nation debated and the category did nothing, Australia’s largest fruit processor (SPC) went to extraordinary lengths to show precisely where their food is from, and more importantly, who grew it.

SPC is a 100-year old Australian business with many fans lying dormant around the country. Despite years of family memories, consumers are fickle about purchasing SPC brands, especially after deep discounting on foreign competition. It is, after all, merely tinned fruit.

Our intention was to draw the entire nation into a food labelling debate by empowering consumers in the supermarket aisles with a deeply emotional initiative. We set out to give families all over the country a connection with Australian farmers they’d never felt before.

By connecting families emotionally with the people who grow their food, we developed a bond that resonated from social media to supermarket aisles and around Australia.

#MyFamilyCan was deliberately designed to be a two-way interaction. The product was used to proliferate the hashtag, and the hashtag to instigate sales. Consumers no longer scoured fine print for food they trust. They instinctively bought familiar faces.