April 25 is Anzac Day – a day of remembrance for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. It’s commemorated by both nations due to their history serving in conflicts all over the world together, dating back to Gallipoli in World War One. However, in recent years we’ve commemorated the day in isolation of one another. Our brief was to reignite the true meaning of the Anzac spirit and enable Australians and New Zealanders to share Anzac Day together. We needed to engage not one country, but two. So, we took an iconic symbol – the Anzac biscuit, which has been shared between Australian and New Zealand soldiers in war zones for over 100 years – and reimagined it.

To remind Australians and New Zealanders that Anzac Day should be shared together, we split the Anzac biscuit in two and created The Half Biscuit – a special edition promotional item specifically for Anzac Day. One half went to Australia, the other to New Zealand. So, no matter where you are on April 25, you can commemorate fallen men and women from both Australia and New Zealand. Enjoy a Half Biscuit, and someone from the other country will be enjoying the other half with you.

Veterans’ support groups, Legacy Australia and RSA New Zealand, partnered for the first time ever to create The Half Biscuit, designed specifically for Anzac Day. It was made using the original 104-year-old recipe. The only difference was that it was broken in two – one half went to Australia, the other to New Zealand. The packaging was designed to communicate the importance of Anzac Day, as well as be used as a shareable element on social media – this allowed Aussies and Kiwis to share a Half Biscuit with one another online. The campaign ran simultaneously in both countries, culminating with Half Biscuits handed out on Anzac Day at major sporting events featuring both Australian and New Zealand teams. For one day, the Half Biscuit brought the two nations together.

The Half Biscuit made people rethink the true meaning of what Anzac represents. It took one of the most recognisable icons in Australia and New Zealand – the Anzac biscuit – and turned it into a shared experience that transcended location, age, race and religion. In a survey of people who received one, 84% now had a greater understanding of the bond between Australia and New Zealand. Legacy Australia and RSA New Zealand had their highest number of social media traffic ever, with 100% positive feedback. 79% of social interactions were from people sharing with someone from the other country, and donations to both Legacy and RSA NZ increased by 81%.