The Leukaemia Foundation has called an open tender as it searches for a creative agency to lead the development of a transformed World’s Greatest Shave campaign.
World’s Greatest Shave one of Australia’s longest-running peer-to-peer fundraisers, raising hundreds of millions of dollars over the past 25 years to help Australians impacted by blood cancer.
The campaign has long-featured iconic upside-down chins but now the Leukaemia Foundation is looking for a fresh creative approach.
Susie Howard, Leukaemia Foundation's general manager of communications & marketing services, was present for the inception of the chins creative.
"More than 15 years ago the upside down chin was conceptualised by well-known Brisbane agency De Pasquale and went on to be revitalised by other agencies including Gallery Depasquale, Clemenger and in more recent years Abnorml," she said.
The chin became an effective marketing subject for the Leukaemia Foundation because it was fun, playful and didn't feel like a typcial charity add, said Howard.
"The beloved up-side down chins were born from a need to create a single creative idea which would integrate across all channels and in all territories," she said.
"The brief at the time was to make sure the creative had broad appeal and would cut through the clutter we were seeing on our screens. We didn’t want creative which was serious or confronting (even though the message behind it was very serious)."
Howard said in the first year revenue increased by 30% with more people wondering what they were seeing on their screens and being captivated by the joy of an upside down chin.
"More than a decade on and the chins evolved to have arms and legs and each character brought a new message and a new level of quirkiness," said Howard.
"They became an important brand symbol for World’s Greatest Shave and even to this day they have high brand recall.
"The chins have served us well. We must now consider what is the right creative for our campaign in 2024."
Leukaemia Foundation's general manager of fundraising & growth, Charlotte Webb, hopes the change will encourage more people to participate and raise funds, with the charity seeing declining numbers of registrants in recent years.
“World’s Greatest Shave has a long and proud heritage. More than two million people have sacrificed their hair, or donated to someone who has, over the last 25 years, helping fund lifechanging blood cancer support and research,” said Webb.
"We hold an ambitious vision—a future where no life is lost to blood cancer. To achieve this, we must usher in a new era for World's Greatest Shave. We need to connect more people with the cause to raise substantial funds for the benefit of Australians impacted by blood cancer.
“We’re armed with important new insights and data and are looking for an agency that can help us develop a bold new vision, for World’s Greatest Shave, rather than simply evolve the creative approach.
"Through this journey we hope to find a partner agency that respects and reflects that commitment with a strong new creative approach that continues to set World’s Greatest Shave apart from the rest."
Agencies have until Wednesday, May 24, to submit an expression of interest ahead of shortlisting. A decision is due at the end of June.
Agencies can submit their EOI by emailing brand@leukaemia.org.au.
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