The Y launches most significant unified national brand platform ‘It Starts Here’ via Think HQ

The Y Australia has launched “It Starts Here”, its first unified national brand platform, designed to strengthen Australians’ connection with the organisation and showcase the breadth of its work in communities across the country.

The national campaign, developed by recently appointed agency partner Think HQ, brings together The Y’s 11 member associations under a single strategic brand proposition, marking one of the organisation’s most significant national brand campaigns in around a decade.

“It Starts Here” aims to shift perceptions of The Y beyond its longstanding association with sport and recreation, positioning the organisation as a place where Australians can connect with their communities, build a sense of belonging and realise their potential. The platform draws on The Y’s 175-year history in Australia while putting real people and community experiences at the centre of its story.

Think HQ was tasked with developing a scalable national creative platform that could unite The Y’s extensive range of services and programs while providing its member associations with the flexibility to bring the brand to life at a local level.

The campaign is designed to speak to today’s Australia, with a particular focus on people aged 16-45 who are looking for accessible ways to connect with their communities amid increasingly busy lives.

Says Think HQ Creative Director Sam McCarron: “The Y has been part of Australian communities for 175 years, but there’s so much more to the organisation than many people realise. ‘It Starts Here’ gave us an opportunity to bring that breadth to life through a single national idea that feels human, relevant and grounded in the experiences of real communities.

“It’s been around a decade since The Y has undertaken a national brand campaign of this scale, so it’s been a privilege to work with the team on such an important piece and create a platform that can grow with the organisation.”

Says The Y Australia Head of Brand and Marketing Vanessa Heron: “Working with Think HQ on ‘It Starts Here’ has been a genuinely collaborative process. With 11 member associations and communities right across Australia, creating a platform that could bring everyone together while still reflecting the breadth and diversity of The Y was incredibly important to us.

“Think HQ understood that challenge from the outset and became a trusted partner throughout the journey. We’re incredibly proud of where we’ve landed and excited to show Australians what The Y means today.”

The integrated campaign will roll out nationally across BVOD and SVOD, social, online and out-of-home, including arterial billboards, transport placements and digital displays in shopping centres. The media rollout spans 10 Play, 9Now, 7plus, SBS On Demand, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Binge and Kayo, alongside Meta and ChatGPT.

Think HQ developed six creative variations for OOH and static social, a 30-second film for BVOD and SVOD, and a suite of brand templates enabling The Y’s member associations to extend the national platform through their own state-based campaigns.

“It Starts Here” will run through to June 2027.

Think HQ
Client Partner – Rose Harvey
Creative Director – Sam McCarron
Creative Strategist – Kate Shelton
Senior Art Director – Mathew Hine/Camilo Suarez
Senior Copywriter – Tosh Greenslade
Executive Producer – Caitlin Clarke
Senior Producer – Callum Yeo
Production Supervisor – Maisy Sutcliffe
Director – Andy Diprose
Director of Photography – Alexander Naughton
Offline Editor – Nic Song
Online Editor – Tim Egan
Sound Design – Adam Dixon-Galea
Graphic Design – Steven Curcio

The Y
Executive General Manager – Advocacy and Brand Impact: Kirstie McCosh
Head of Brand and Marketing – Vanessa Heron

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