Victorians ‘band together’ for newly launched TAC and AFL Victoria campaign via SDWM

For decades, black armbands have been worn to honour a death in the community. This year, for TAC and AFL Victoria Road Safety Round, club captains, players and their entire communities will band together by wearing a new kind of armband – a reminder that we all have someone to drive safely for, part of a new campaign developed by SDWM.

The band, which was worn over the past four weekends of local football, features a QR code housing an ever-growing number of videos from the community on why road safety matters and why they’ll be wearing their support. When scanned, a randomised video is automatically played. With every scan, a new reason appears.

Community members could upload their own story by using #tacbandtogether, helping to create more than just a wearable message, but a hub of personalised reasons reminding them that we all have a reason for wanting safer roads.

To launch the ‘Band Together’ campaign, voices from the community came together to tell their story on film, including AFL legend Brett Ratten, who tragically lost his son Cooper to a road accident in 2016. The TVC also includes a mother, local shop owner, policeperson, local club captain and coach, speaking alongside the St Kilda Senior Coach.

Says James Orr, creative founder, SDWM: “The role that local communities can play in creating safer roads cannot be underestimated. We’ve been blown away to see so many people share their stories and support the round.”

Following a difficult year that saw community sport cancelled, TAC chief marketing officer, Jo Whyte, said this year’s Road Safety Round was about bringing the community together to change attitudes around road safety: “This year we wanted to focus on the idea that being safe on the road is the responsibility of every driver, and that we all have a role to play in making our roads safe for our communities. Tragically, we’ve already lost 92 Victorians on the road this year, so let’s band together to reduce the amount of accidents on our roads.”

Due to COVID-19’s cancellation of community sport in Victoria, the round was held at different times for different sections of the state, but in total over 1200 Victorian football and netball clubs along with their communities wore the bands on and off the field. The ‘Band Together’ campaign spanned TVC, radio, OOH, social, digital and activation, and will continue through until the end of the AFL Victoria season.

For more information, visit tac.vic.gov.au/bandtogether

Client: Transport Accident Commission
Head of Marketing & Communications, Jo Whyte
Partnership Advisor Marketing & Communications, Mathew Hood
Partnerships Coordinator Marketing & Communications, Riley Brettell
Media & Communications Coordinator, Devon McGillicuddy
Media & Corporate Communications Manager, Alex White

Creative Agency: SDWM
Creative Founder, James Orr
Design Founder, Jake Turnbull
Business Founder, Jarrick Lay
Account Manager, Caterina O’Brien
Copywriter, Sebastian Covino
Copywriter, Alberta Gunner
Art Director, Kean Szcur
Designer, Bella Plush

PR & Influencer: AltShift
Managing Director, Elly Hewitt
Account Director, Sarah McCarthy
Account Director, Jacob Schnackenberg
Account Executive, Bella Nolan

Production Company: AIRBAG
Director, Nicholas Carlton
Producer, Johanna Rayner
Photographer, Thom Rigney
Photographer, Ryan Creevey

Partners: AFL Victoria & SEN
State Community Manager at AFL Victoria, Sophie Williams
Account Manager at AFL Victoria, Sinead Pearson
Commercial Director at SEN, Kylie Saarinsen
Partnerships Manager at SEN, Sarah Ongarello