Australian Futures
Challenge
Driving political change
Australia has had six prime ministers in 10 years and our media landscape is fueled by sensationalist headlines and a “new, now” mentality. This combination of political instability and inherently biased media meant that our national conversation was being crippled by short-termism and not focused on the long-term issues Australians really care about. In the lead up to the Federal Election, Australia’s loudest voices weren’t talking about the things that mattered most. So we created someone who was.
Approach
The Perfect Candidate
Australia’s first gender neutral politician driven by data, not bias. Powered by two years of data from over 125,000 Australians, The Perfect Candidate was a true reflection of the nation’s values, concerns and aspirations. They may not have been a real person, but they were a voice of the people.
Results
With just $5000 in media budget
- Total reach +84 million
- Over 350 News articles
- 9 Television features
- 19 Radio spots
- ROI of more than 700%
Reported by all of Australia’s leading political journalists, The Perfect Candidate was also used by the media as a tool to validate opinion pieces and features in the race to the polls. This had a direct influence on the things discussed by politicians in debates and press conferences and ensured Australia's top concerns were front and centre during the election.
