Even though there are not a lot of regulations with regards to Branded Content in Australia, this campaign did test them. For example one of the content pieces tells the story of a brave survivor of breast cancer who poses for a portrait with her mastectomy scars on full display. It made some of our media partners question the decency of the imagery, but ultimately it was a testament to the power of the portrait.

Branded Content played a pivotal role in the campaign, as one of key objectives was to move people away from shallow social media photography toward something more meaningful. Obviously we needed to connect with users of social media, and content on a site like YouTube was the perfect way to achieve that.

Our research indicated the people are 8 times more likely to use a DSLR over a smartphone when taking a meaningful photograph. So we set out to bring meaning back to photography. We started by inspiring the nation with a film reminding them of photography’s power. We then created a content series that followed ordinary Australians as they captured a meaningful image. This was used to further inspire the public.

Next we created a platform for these passionate amateur photographers…our entire media buy. Every single touch point was put into their hands, to expose the issues they most cared about. Print, outdoor, online advertising, social – all of these channels were offered to consumers as a stage for their ideas.

Thousands of images were uploaded on topics from pollution to prostate cancer, as Australians shifted their focus away from meaningless snaps. We had changed the photography landscape, by changing the subject.

The campaign saw the birth of a new class of photographers. Occupying a space between amateur photographers and photojournalists, they were known as ‘photo activists’. A legion of passionate people, putting down their smartphones..and picking up their cameras. We had succeeded in changing the photography landscape, by changing the subject.

64,786 online shares

32,194 new facebook fans

7,535 new MyCanon members

Total PR reach of 192 million

Increased positive brand perception by 21%

People who saw the campaign were 20% more likely to nominate Canon as their first choice in imaging

Canon DSLR market rose by 4%