BirdLife Australia

Client

Save Birds. Save Life.

BirdLife Australia is leading the way in bird conservation. They work tirelessly to recover the most threatened wild bird species and restore local environments.

Overview

BirdLife Australia’s mission is to conserve Australia’s birds and their habitats. It aims to stop bird extinctions, improve the status of threatened birds, and halt overall bird declines by 2050. This is done through scientific research, conservation actions, and community engagement, as well as partnering with various stakeholders.

Its largest activity is the annual citizen scientist campaign the Aussie Bird, held during National Bird Week. It invites Australians to spend 20 minutes outdoors counting the birds they see. This data is used to better understand bird populations and identify trends.

SBM developed a public relations and social media campaign around the event to increase participation, particularly among groups who did not typically take part.

Project Details

Taking the Aussie Bird Count beyond the nest

In its 10th year, the annual Aussie Bird Count, Australia’s largest citizen science projects – faced a challenge. While it achieved strong engagement with people over the age of 35, it needed to attract younger participants. The team at BirdLife also wanted SBM to reframe the campaign as an enjoyable event for people of all ages and walks of life to participate in, connect with local nature and our environment. As the campaign only had a small budget, we needed to develop cost effective methods to target these audiences simultaneously to minimise campaign costs.

Public Relations Campaign

We worked with BirdLife Australia to use its research to both better understand its existing audience profile of bird lovers, conservation enthusiasts, birders and ornithologists, and also expand into newer audiences, particularly Australians under 35.

The subsequent public relations campaign was designed to

  1. Attract younger audiences (under 35) by promoting the Aussie Bird Count as a fun, low-commitment way to connect with nature.
  2. Enhance BirdLife Australia’s brand by showcasing the broader impact of their programs beyond the Bird Count.
  3. Boost PR with celebrity endorsements and high-profile media appearances to extend the campaign’s reach.
  4. Use digital platforms to ensure visibility and engagement, especially among younger demographics.
  5. Build community among participants through storytelling and local engagement.
  6. List the areas of production and a one liner or what was involved.
OUR IMPACT

Helping BirdLife Australia soar to new heights

SBM promoted BirdLife’s Aussie Bird Count by engaging with media and also organisations such as libraries, schools, art galleries, local councils, and MPs, using tailored communication to highlight the Bird Count’s relevance. We leveraged existing media relationships for wide coverage, as well as targeting local councils and media with tailored content. The campaign successfully raised the profile of the Aussie Bird Count among under 35s by targeting broadcast, print, and social media.

The campaign achieved significant increases in media coverage and social media followers, surpassing targets for local council engagement and social media mentions. We coordinated numerous media engagements, including local papers, radio stations, and TV appearances, resulting in a total reach of over 68 million people. The campaign effectively engaged the younger demographic through school programs and social media influencers, leading to a 5.3% increase in BirdLife followers on Facebook and a 6.6% rise on Instagram.

Services

Public relations
Social media