ANZ powers startup success in ‘Business Start Right’ campaign via PHD, Thrive PR and Special

ANZ, in collaboration with PHD, Thrive PR and Special, has launched a new initiative “ANZ Business Start Right”, designed to empower over 400,000 Australians who start their own small businesses each year, providing them the confidence and support needed to transform bold business ideas into reality.

ANZ customer research shows that aspiring business owners tend to focus more on potential challenges of running a business than on the opportunities for success. This insight inspired ANZ to develop a campaign to transform uncertainty into action, overcoming self-doubt, and bridging the gap between having a bold idea and making it happen. The initiative goes beyond starting a business, it’s about shifting mindsets, encouraging people to explore new opportunities, and taking meaningful steps towards achieving their goals.

The ANZ Business Start Right campaign highlights some of the experiences of successful ANZ small business customers, sharing their challenges and insights to inspire future entrepreneurs.

The national TV campaign, will be bolstered by high-impact media including outdoor, audio, video, social and digital display to drive customer conversion to business transaction accounts.

Underpinning the media launch, Thrive PR developed a TikTok content series profiling real business owners across Australia, sharing 21 stories over six months to highlight the unique journeys, insights and tips of ANZ’s small business customers in a way that resonates with aspiring entrepreneurs. Launching in March, the first video in this series has recorded over 3.5 million views to date, accounting for over 20% of web traffic to the new content hub. Some of the businesses featured include Patient Wolf Gin, Bangn Body, Little Florence café, Fox in a Box, Mt Zero Olives and Phillippa’s Bakery.

VIEW THE PATIENT WOLF GIN TIKTOK FILM HERE

Lucy Gribble, Head of Commercial Marketing at ANZ said: “Starting a business is not just a transactional investment; it’s a transformative journey. For many sole traders and partnerships, entering the business world can be an exciting but challenging experience. Business owners often see banks as a source of funding, rather than as a trusted partner for guidance and long-term success.

“ANZ is here to support small business owners, which is why we launched this initiative to empower entrepreneurs at every step. It includes a resource-rich content hub, re-training our business bankers to offer guidance from the beginning, and an inspirational new social media campaign to motivate action.

“Our business banking team is committed to supporting new business owners through the challenges and triumphs of their business journey, offering them the personal and technical support they need to start right.

“We recognise that this process begins before business owners even think about engaging our experts, so we’re sharing the success of our small business customers to inspire Australia’s future business starters to switch their mindset from what is the worst that could happen to what’s the best that could happen.”

By setting the framework to provide the right support, ANZ is helping small businesses to start right with the confidence that they’ve given their business the best chance of success.

The integrated campaign will be brought to life across OOH, TV, audio, TikTok, Meta, Pinterest, You Tube, Google and amplified in earned media with a sustained storytelling strategy.

Client: ANZ 
Creative Agency: Special 
Production Company: Good Oil 
Media Agency: PHD Australia 
PR and Content Agency: Thrive PR 
Social and Content Creative Agencies: Dave Clark Design, Keep Left 
Audio Creative Agency: Eardrum