Projects that have a social impact on the community are always our passion. That is why we are proud that we had the opportunity to work with Byron Shire Council on a project dedicated to encouraging the local community to leash their four legged family members – dogs in public on-lead spaces.
Byron Shire Council contacted us to help with a series of videos that were dedicated to tackle the issue in an educational, but light-hearted way. It was aimed at increasing dog-leashing compliance in public spaces to reduce the risk of dog attacks on native animals, specifically Dog attacks on Koalas. Koalas are vulnerable in NSW and, throughout the Byron Shire, increasing dog ownership in rural and semi-urban environments is increasing the likelihood of dog-koala interactions.
The project adopted a social marketing approach, guided by the theory of behavior change, to engage with dog owners. By understanding attitudes and norms of dog owners, a targeted, engaging, and effective social change campaign was developed.
A video to build awareness
We kicked off with a simple meeting to discuss the project scope as well as to gauge the type of messaging that our client was aiming for. Our suggestion was to bring as much humor to the table as possible. We wanted to create content that viewers would remember, have a chuckle, and share.
This resulted in three different final concepts. One video establishing the urgency and importance from a veterinarian medical background. Specifically how Koala’s can be a danger to pet owners and their pets. Nobody wants to put their fluffy friend in danger!
The remaining two videos took the lighthearted approach from the point of view of a dog and a koala. We mean, who doesn’t stop and listen when they see a talking animal?!
After careful planning we started working on pre-production. From scripting and storyboarding to casting and location scouting the project was beginning to come to life. Filming took place over the course of two days and as always was a fun process which both we and the client were ecstatic with the results.
The results were incredible
Originally intended for only online social network distribution, the council stakeholders were so impressed that the Shire decided to go the extra mile and broadcast a 3 month TV advertising campaign of “If Koala’s Could Talk” to the entire Northern Rivers syndicate. Because at Value Imagery we film all our projects in specification for TV broadcast along with social media formatting in mind, incorporating a TV ad into the final edit was no problem.
By using both social media and television advertising along with a dedicated website landing page, Byron Shire Council was able to measure the reach and influence of the campaign. Post-campaign surveys at the pilot study site indicated an 11.4% increase in dog leashing, with the greatest increase (26%) in large dogs. There was a 20% increase in dog owners leashing their dogs in streets and parks.
Display ads had over 500 000 impressions with 925 click throughs making this page the 4th most visited page on Council’s website over the campaign period. Facebook video resulted in 13 000 views, 190 likes, 60 shares and 80 comments. This helped to create a conversation between the community members and help them understand the problem.
The success was not only in the community but also on a state level with the Byron Shire winning the LG NSW excellence in environment award 2021!
To learn more about the Byron Shire initiatives on responsible dog ownership visit their website at:
https://www.byron.nsw.gov.au/Community/Pets/Dog-owner-responsibilities-and-leashing
Value Imagery team is ready to help you with the video marketing
At Value Imagery our team is passionate about our work and we’re doing everything to meet the expectations. We are a team of professionals ready to travel across Australia and deliver the best results possible. No project is too big, no budget is too small for us.
When working with us our clients are always assured that we will have all the relevant equipment and accessories. They don’t have to worry about finding the perfect location or talent because we do that for them. With years of experience, we know the best places to go to.
Value Imagery, a professional Byron Bay video production company, has been working with a number of clients across Australia and helped them create engaging and creative video content. If your Local Government Area or Business are in need of content for your next social media video or TV ad contact us today!
