Australian Government celebrates teachers’ mementos and stories behind them in new exhibition and campaign via Clemenger BBDO
Australia is facing an unprecedented teacher shortage. The Federal Government projects a shortfall of more than 4000 high school teachers by 2025, with shortages extending across the board–according to one report from the Department of Education. To combat this shortage, Clemenger BBDO has launched a new national content-led campaign across social platforms, cinema, OOH, television, and PR—celebrating the unparalleled impact that teachers can have, both on the lives of students and on their own.
The campaign is centred around an exhibition of objects. The exhibition showcases real mementos from students that teachers have kept throughout their careers. The mementos range from the expected—heartfelt letters and ‘thank you’ cards to the less expected—a star named for a teacher.
Eight films created as part of the campaign were directed by acclaimed documentary filmmaker Christopher Nelius and show teachers from around Australia as they share the stories behind their most cherished mementos. After telling their stories, the teachers visit an exhibition space to place their mementos amongst others from teachers around Australia. Each film ends with a simple but inspiring call to action, asking viewers to ‘Be That Teacher’.
One film tells the story of South Australian teacher Stacy Frogley and her former student, Izzy. Izzy has sacral agenesis—a rare congenital disorder that over time has left her unable to walk. After Mrs Frogley suggested to Izzy that she may enjoy swimming, the student went on to become a Silver Medal-winning Paralympian for Australia. At the end of her interview, Mrs Frogley is surprised by Izzy, who flew interstate to take part in the exhibition between swimming events—so passionate is she about the impact the teacher has had on her life.
Through social media, teachers around Australia are being invited to take part in the exhibition by sharing further stories. These stories will be published across social channels as well as on a content hub at BeThatTeacher.gov.au.
Says Dijanna Ratajkoski, assistant secretary, communication – people, parliamentary, communication division at Australian Government Department of Education: “This campaign is an important part of the work the Australian, state and territory governments are undertaking to attract and retain teachers. While I knew the teachers that feature in the advertising had great stories to share, I wasn’t expecting the emotional and uplifting journey they took me on. I’m really excited to see what the response is.”
Says Tristan Graham, executive creative director, Clemenger BBDO: “You don’t really have to “sell” teaching. You just have to get out of the way and let teachers tell their stories. That’s when it becomes very clear that teaching is more than just a job, it’s a chance to fundamentally change young people’s lives for the better–and who wouldn’t want to do that?”
Be That Teacher launches on 1st November and will run for up to 12 months.
Client: Australian Government Department of Education
Creative Agency: Clemenger BBDO
Executive Creative Director – Tristan Graham
Creative Director – Toby Kennedy
Creative Director – Brodie King
Art Director – Esther Parsons
Craft Designer – Sebastian Sarria
National Traffic Manager – Karen Kushinsky
Strategy Partner – Mike Ronkoske
Managing Director – Julian Bell
Group Business Director – Theresa White
Senior Business Manager – Lauren Mayne
Business Manager – Tom von Stieglitz
Executive Producer: Karolina Bozajkovska
Senior TV Producer: Alana Teasdale
Senior Editor: Jennifer Cahir
Executive Director Digital – Claire Bisset
Finished Art – Sam Tsui
Retoucher – Mike McCall
Production Company: FINCH
Director: Christopher Nelius
Executive Producer: Corey Esse
Producer: Jackie Adler
DOP: Matt Toll
Casting: Mackintosh Casting
Casting Director: Mel Mackintosh
Casting Associate: Pat McAuliffe
Editorial & Finish: ARC EDIT
Offline Editors: Graeme Pereira & Phil Horn
Online Editor: Viv Baker
Colourist: Ben Eagleton
Executive Producer: Daniel Fry
Producer: Kani Saib
Sound Production: Bang Bang Studios
Engineer: Sam Hopgood
Producer: Polly McGregor & Holli Dee
Music: Massive Music
Composer: Haydn Walker
Producer: Luci Roe
Ryan Wheatley – Photographer
Kamilla Musland – Photographer Assistant
32 Comments
This is great !
Amazing work.
This is such stunning simple work. What a beautiful idea. I may or may not be crying at my desk right now…
I don’t normally praise the government, but damn, the campaigns they’re delivering are really stepping up a notch. Whatever Clems are doing, it’s working. Well done on such a powerful campaign.
Nice idea, beautiful work. Made me cry. Well done Clems.
Well done!
Seems far more rewarding than making ads. You might have convinced me… Such a beautiful campaign. Hats off.
Simple and impactful. Nice!
Simple, brilliant and true.
This isn’t just good work for a government client, this is word class work out of Australia. Clems has been killing it lately.
Nice to see a Government campaign with a big idea in it.
brilliant work!
Ps good teachers are worth their weight in gold
Failed mid-level managers in advertising move over to teaching. Problem solved.
“You don’t really have to ‘sell’ teaching. You just have to get out of the way and let teachers tell their stories.”
What a beautiful campaign. Something to be proud of.
Epic work
Such delicate, impactful storytelling and a lovely idea. You know it’s great filmmaking when you are moved in less than one-minute. Well done to the team and director!
Congrats. Stuck the landing perfectly.
Clems are smashing it at the moment. Good to see the old brand coming back. Love this work. So incredible. Hats off.
It’s a nice campaign. The films are lovely and are executed well. But this definitely isn’t ‘world class work’ — it’s yet another exhibition idea.
Beautiful films. Well executed / directed stories with real talent. Not easy.
It must be brilliant work, as I watched all eight executions and was disappointed when there were none left.
Would love to have seen a one-month exhibit or something with real objects/mementos in the vein of the film displayed at a museum/gallery. Imagine the effect that could have on kids/young students.
These are so powerful and beautifully executed spots. What incredible story telling with amazing real teachers. Pass the tissues!
Impressive work. I’m with a small brand. How do you showcase this? Where would potential teachers watch stuff like this?
Congrats Brodie and team – such beautiful work making me absolutely piss tears here.
A lot of that money could’ve been given to the teachers instead of this. They’re already fighting for every penny as it is. Faaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrakmoooii
To be in a position to effect the next generation of minds is pretty powerful and boy does this spot beautifully convey that. Great work Clems.
As a teacher of 40 years, some advice can be shared. About humour…Keep them laughing. Sometimes they will laugh at you, sometimes they will laugh with you but count yourself really fortunate when they laugh at themselves and truly blessed when you can, in the end, laugh at yourself.
About generosity and giving…Teach them and constantly remind them of their mortality and that of others for they will find their own humanity and as a result will give freely of their time, their money(d0nations), their blood(donation) and most reluctantly their hair(charity).
About being appreciated as a teacher…Even though they may never acknowledge your efforts, never thank you and even pretend not to care, know in your own mind, you have shared a great adventure together and you have gained so much.
Upon retirement… I hope you can stand up and speak to those colleagues with whom you shared much of your professional life with and honestly say with conviction, that you would not trade one minute of your journey for more money, more fame or even better students!
Beyond inspiring! Congrats to all involved, especially the teachers.
‘Be that teacher’. Oof, great line, does all the work. I don’t even need to watch the other videos.
If only politicians were paid as much as teachers, we may have better humans in the profession.
This is a great campaign, but there needs to be another one to follow it.
That campaign should be about parents respecting teachers and not defending
little Johnny when every time he gets into trouble just because he said he ‘didn’t
do anything’.
Kids aren’t the problem in schools nowadays – parents are.
Parents appalling behaviour and outrageous expectations are driving outstanding
teachers out of the profession faster then bad pay rates!