The brand positioning of Monash University is "If you don't like it, change it", a platform that reminds people of the true value of a university – being able to change the things that are wrong in the world through the power of education. This brief asked for a new campaign that positioned them as a university that focusses on a higher purpose. The primary objective was reputation building, followed by enrolment leads. We had an above the line campaign that simply and provocatively asked the question "is there an Endangered Generation?". The documentary followed the campaign and answered the question by examining the change-makers across the world who are tackling the 4 categories that lead to endangerment. A documentary is the perfect vehicle to explore the provocative idea of an Endangered Generation, as our audience are thinkers, who appreciate a deeper level of information.

Today, 40,000 species are listed as endangered. To make the list, just one of 4 categories need to be at risk: health, habitat, freedom, rights. The only species to meet all 4 criteria are Human Beings. To highlight how urgent our survival is, we found the first baby born on 1/1/2020 and listed their entire generation as endangered. The Endangered Generation idea rallies students to join Monash in order to change the health of our very existence. Above-the-line assets got people thinking, while our interactive exhibitions armed people with details about how to study and change the health of our species. A feature-length documentary, narrated by Oscar-winner Laura Dern and rallied students to join Monash to help change the 4 categories that put humanity at risk. Our idea couldn't be ignored. Monash University was now forever linked with taking up the fight to change the health of our species.

Our audience is government, academics, potential students and the people who are influential in their lives. All of these audience groups are relevant in their own way. Governments provide funding, academics want to work for the best universities and the best students want to learn at the best universities. These audiences generally look at universities as places where students pay big money to get a degree. We needed an approach that would place Monash University apart from and above the others. A simple, provocative and bold statement about the health of our species was as high-order as you can get. And a feature-length documentary, at a prestigious film festival, provides a level of credibility that is simply unmatched by other universities.

The above-the-line advertising campaign featured a 30 second TVC, a full page cover takeover of a newspaper and OOH. The interactive exhibition converted students directly to courses where they could choose how they could later impact the health of our species. 3 months later we launched a feature-length documentary, narrated by Oscar-winner, Laura Dern. We didn't want to look like an "ad" so the film was unbranded, but since Monash had already talked about the concept of an "Endangered Generation", they were forever linked to the film. We worked with the best filmmakers and traveled all corners of the Earth to find the most impactful stories. We launched at Melbourne International Film Festival and also held screenings in Italy and Malaysia. The film is due for theatrical release mid 2023, with more film festivals to follow – including a headline feature at the prestigious Doc Edge.

48,990 enrolment leads.

Estimated lifetime revenue of $509,000,000.

92% positive sentiment.

Jump in global rankings – from 57 to rank 42.

Rankings like this ultimately result in more funding, more academics willing to work for Monash and a higher quality candidate. And this is the real achievement here. It's about changing perception of the university. Moving from a place that charges big fees to put students into classrooms, to a place that sets out to change the world.