The latest The Ultimate Renewable 2023 campaign will go live across Australia from August 20.
According to the FWPA, the new television commercial and campaign imagery challenges consumer perceptions of forestry, showing harvested and replanted trees to reinforce The Ultimate Renewable positioning.
The $1.8 million campaign will launch across free-to-air television, streaming video, radio and social media.
The 2023 campaign will see the commercial run throughout top-rating programs such as The Block, Seven and Nine News and both AFL and NRL matches, including their finals series via video on demand.
Adam Dovile will present the 2023 campaign
Following the success of the 2022 campaign, it will once again be presented by Ambassador Adam Dovile, builder and television presenter.
“As a builder, I’m passionate about encouraging people to explore the sustainable options in construction,” Mr Doville told the Ultimate Renewable team.
“What’s great to see is the many architects, designers, and specifiers already recognise the benefits of wood and embrace its use.”
In July, Dovlle and the FWPA team were shooting the new commercial in Valley Reserve Play Space in Mount Waverley, Victoria.
The ‘talent’ for the day was a group of Huntingtower School children already playing on the timber adventure playground while we set up production.
Focus on seedlings to the final product
While last year’s message focused primarily on wood as a building material, the new campaign extends the communication from seedlings to the final product and promotes the transgenerational benefits of wood.
Accompanied by videos and images of forestry and children in wood-rich environments, the message conveys that we can tackle climate change for future generations by growing and using more certified wood.
“This is an opportunity to reshape consumer perceptions of the industry,” according to Sarah Downey, the Head of Marketing and Communications for Forest and Wood Products Australia.
“People are naturally saddened when they see images of newly-harvested forest areas,” she said.
“But what they don’t think about is the climate-change-tackling carbon stored in the wood that’s been removed from the atmosphere by growing trees and replanting them for future generations.”
A key “feature” of trees is that trees sequester carbon – the process of removal and long-term storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) from our atmosphere.
Although the carbon absorption capacity can vary, a tree can store about 167 kg of CO2 per year, or 1 ton of CO2 per year for six mature trees.
According to Ms Downey, “sustainably-sourced wood is an important renewable building material, and we should be supporting and celebrating the renewable aspects of its production and use.”
25% of Australians recalled seeing the 2022 campaign
Last year, 25% of Australians recalled seeing at least one of The Ultimate Renewable messages, and this year promises to be bigger and better with a greater focus on digital.
“To truly understand our audience and their perceptions, we launched a comprehensive research journey and have undertaken a brand-new approach to our digital strategy,” Ms Downey said.
The review resulted in the launch of a new website, The Ultimate Renewable, which is “a fantastic resource to help you promote The Ultimate Renewable message.”
Ms Downey says the campaign’s goal “is to facilitate meaningful connections between individuals and sustainable materials.”
“By empowering people to make responsible choices,” Downey says, “we aim to benefit individuals and our planet’s overall well-being.”
“Our intention is to inspire and motivate our audience.”
Clear and concise information about wood products
The new campaign seeks to dispel misconceptions and provide clear, concise information about choosing wood products.
“We firmly believe that by shedding light on the remarkable potential of sustainably-sourced wood, we empower individuals to make informed decisions that align with their values,” Ms Downey said.
“Our commitment lies in equipping people with the knowledge and understanding necessary to make choices that have a positive impact.”
“Together, we can contribute to a more sustainable future.”
According to Adam Doville, the connection with the environment is essential.
“Every piece of wood we use tackles climate change by storing carbon absorbed from the atmosphere by a growing tree.”
“When wood is harvested today, it is replanted tomorrow.”
“And that’s why they call wood, The Ultimate Renewable,” Mr Doville said.
A wide range of free-to-access campaign materials will be available in The Ultimate Renewable digital toolkit on the new website.
“The materials include videos, digital banners and carefully-crafted content that we encourage you to share with your own audience,” Ms Downey added.
“Together, we can champion sustainability and amplify The Ultimate Renewable.”
