Optus, Australia’s second largest telecommunications provider, briefed us to find a new way to communicate the strength of their network with the objective to improve consumer awareness and brand perception.

In response we saw an opportunity to solve a genuine and topical issue surrounding Australia’s coastline connecting the Optus network to something our audience were passionate about.

Australia has four times more shark attacks than any other country in the world and current methods to deter sharks hadn’t changed in over 60 years.

At the heart of Optus’ values is their desirability to “improve people’s lives through technology” as they position themselves to be the “ultimate wingmen” for Australians.

So we asked ourselves, could we use the Optus network to help protect our beach goers and our sharks?

Clever Buoy is a smart ocean buoy that detects sharks and sends instant alerts to lifeguards via the Optus digital network.

By providing a culturally relevant solution with the Optus Network at its core, we created more than a marketing response, we created a transformational utility that disrupted the traditional Telco industry and received an overwhelming response towards the brand.

As we were launching a rapid prototype, earned media was the most relevant channel to start the conversation and generate awareness.

The goal was to shift the focus from the size of the Optus network, to its amazing capabilities.

Research revealed that the growing reliance on data has led Australians to consider their mobile network as a utility, ie. something that should just work.

Couple this with the fact that it was common knowledge the leader brand’s network coverage was larger. But the perception was that it was much larger, even though the difference was less than one percent.

85% of Australians live within 50km of the coast. So this seemed like a logical place to begin our start.

Beyond a traditional PR campaign, we created an ongoing product, service and platform for our client – one that has not only propelled the Optus brand into the mindset of consumers, but could change beach safety forever.

• Combined Social & PR reach of over 40 million – with an 84% positive sentiment towards the Optus brand.

• Featured in over 800 global news stories (200+ Broadcast), including every commercial channel in Australia.

• Earned PR/Advertising value of over $7 million.

• Optus earned a 92% share of voice in relation to #innovation and #technology compared to other Australian telcos on social media during campaign launch.

• Launch film had over 3 million impressions.

• The commercial Clever Buoys are now in development, with public rollout currently planned for 2015.

• NSW Government have pledged $100,000 to public trials.

We developed a clear roadmap to build Clever Buoy, which we launched through earned channels, and amplified through owned and paid media channels.

We hosted a media launch event with a live broadcast on Australia’s most watched morning show in Sydney featuring key spokespersons from the project.

We focused on an influencer outreach program and a social newsroom shortlisting key influencers from technology, lifestyle & environment, innovation, beach and marine safety space which allowed us to build genuine credibility for the brand and have a reason to converse with these specialised communities.

We delivered real time relevant content to engage the audience and educate them about Clever Buoy. Once people were introduced to the buoy we took them along the journey of production, detailing the different elements of the buoy anatomy and some of the technological feats we achieved along the way.

Optus has the second largest telecommunications network. Our brief was to improve consumer awareness and brand perception by shifting the focus, from the size of the Optus Network, to the amazing things it can do.

After another shark fatality the Western Australian government sanctioned the culling of all large sharks, sparking a nation wide debate over the ethics of killing endangered sharks to save humans.

Not only did we tap into the most hotly debated conversation in the country, we offered a new solution using our client’s core service, one that appeased both sides of the debate.

But more than this, the beach is something close to the heart of all Australians, synonymous with our laid back lifestyle and a clear part of the national identity.

Having developed the buoy, we needed to develop a relevant strategy that allowed us to engage the right influencers to kickstart the conversation and generate widespread national and international media coverage, positive WOM and social media traction to:

• Create excitement,

• Leverage experts for credibility,

• Showcase the strength of the Optus network,

• Position Optus as an innovator.

Our strategy was to pitch and secure a series of exclusive 1:1 interviews prior to launch to ensure we maintained control on the conversation both locally and internationally.

We developed a collection of assets for launch, including a video news release, photography, info-graphic, animation video and social content visual branding for Optus where verbal branding may have been excluded.