The Age 150th Anniversary Merchandise
Fairfax needed an innovative and creative approach to promote the 150th anniversary of “The Age” newspaper.
The Brief
The client wanted an extensive range of merchandise that
would promote a significant milestone for the company. “The
Age” newspaper, an icon of the Australian publishing industry,
was celebrating 150 years in business. The brief was
to create a targeted merchandising campaign that would
promote the historical significance of the brand as well as reinforcing
its position as a modern, current and long term proposition for its
market.
The Execution
Arid Zone’s response was to take a unique approach to what could be considered quite ordinary promotional products. The “idea” was to use historical newspaper articles and transfer them onto a range of promotional coffee mugs and picnic rugs. The process entailed digging through “The Age” archives to find key milestone events over the past 150 years and convert them into a digital format. The products were then decorated with the articles. Arid Zone’s intention was to create a range that;
- Had a nostalgic appeal for the market
- Looked up-to-date and modern
- Created a strong image for the brand
- Could be used as “collectibles” for long term brand exposure
The Result
Fairfax promoted the merchandise range on “The Age” Website and in the newspaper. The results were hugely successful, immediate and had an ongoing benefit for our client. Sales exceeded expectations.
- The products sold out almost immediately
- Consumers purchased the products as collectables and keepsakes
- The promotion was successfully rolled out over a two year period
- The promotion was used in an education program as an illustration of exceptional branding by APPA (Australian Promotional Products Association)
- The campaign won an APPA Gold Award for Supplier and Distributor Joint Ventures
- The campaign won an APPA Silver Award for Consumer Promotions
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