In the 2026 Census.
The Design Institute of Australia (DIA) is advocating for designers to express their profession in the 2026 Census in a campaign via Clemenger BBDO.
Despite contributing an estimated $67.5 billion* to the Australian economy each year, there is currently no reliable baseline count of how many designers actually work in Australia.
“Write DESIGNER is more than a campaign; it’s a collective act of advocacy for Australia’s design profession,” said DIA CEO Simone LeAmon.
“Every day, designers challenge assumptions, solve complex problems, create value and transform ‘you can’t’ into ‘you can.’ This campaign is about uniting an entire profession around a single moment that only comes around once every five years.
“By ensuring designers are accurately counted on Census night, we’re building the evidence needed to strengthen advocacy, inform decision making and government policy, and secure greater recognition for design into the future.
“For more than 80 years, the DIA has advocated for the value of design, because we know the impact it has on Australia’s economy, society and culture.
“Clemenger’s creative team, along with musicians, designers and business from across Australia, have united to produce a memorable and meaningful advocacy campaign that showcases the depth of creative thinking of Australian design and the innovation that simply wouldn’t be possible without our design workforce. We know Australia is designed every day – it’s time we counted the people behind it.”
At the heart of the campaign is a 60-second TV commercial, featuring the voice of ARIA award-winning hip-hop artist and frontman of 1200 Techniques, N’fa Jones, a score by electronic music composer Jonah Gabriel, and many of Australia’s leading designers, studios and businesses, all contributing their talents to highlight the breadth of the nation’s design profession.
A range of Australian designers are featured, including Marc Newson, Romance Was Born, PACCAR Australia, Ludo Studio, RØDE Microphones, Reef Design Lab, Blackmagic, Portable, Büro North, Balarinji, Blanche Tilden, Wonki, Carr, Tonkin Zulaikha Greer and more.
“We're surrounded by what designers make possible, yet the people who make it happen have stayed invisible,” said Clemenger BBDO executive creative director, Giles Watson.
“We're turning this census into a moment to celebrate a profession built on challenging assumptions and solving problems most people never see, and just as importantly, a moment to finally get designers counted, credited and recognised."
Credits
Client: Design Institute of Australia
Chief Executive Officer: Simone LeAmon
Agency: Clemenger BBDO
Artist: Steve Leadbeater
Music: Jonah Gabriel
Voiceover: N’fa Jones
