WOOLWORTHS GROUP

Woolworths Group was established in 1924 and overtime has acquired a wide range of brands These include Woolworths Supermarkets, Big W, Everyday Rewards, Pet Culture and many more. As one of Australia's largest retailers, these brands serve 24 million customers a week with over 190,000 staff members including over 3800 members that identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander They value convenience, variety and quality which can be seen over all their stores (Woolworths Group, 2021).

On their website, Woolworths Group is very open about social issues such as diversity and sustainability. There are many articles and pages on the website which show their support and commitment to creating a company which reflects the values and beliefs of modern society. As a company, it is clear they are also invested in contributing to reconciliation with the First Nations people. When you first enter their website, an Acknowledgement of Country appears which you need to exit out of before you can return to the main website. This encourages viewers of the website to read this and also immediately recognise them as a company which supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people At the bottom of this, it is clearly stated that they support both the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the constitutional change to include the First Nations Voice in Parliament Woolworths Group has publicly supported the Uluru Statement from the Heart since 2019 and this support has continued to the present day.

(Woolworths Group, 2021)

Alongside all this, Woolworths Group launched its 2019-2021 Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and more recently its First Nation Advisory Board. This board is made up of 75% Aboriginal people and they help the company make informed decisions to help improve and promote reconciliation through commercials, partnering decisions and internal policies (Woolworths Group, 2021).

When promoting their support for the Voice to Parliament, Woolworths Group needs to be considerate of the First Nations peoples culture and represent this in a respectful manner. Advertising this issue to the public should not promote themselves as a company but rather display their standpoint as well as provide their customers with reliable information about the matter.

Objectives

Business Objectives

The campaign aims to enhance Woolworths' brand image by showcasing its commitment to Aboriginal affairs by actively supporting the recognition and establishment of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament. This objective aligns with the company's values of social responsibility and demonstrates their dedication to fostering reconciliation and inclusivity By doing so, it helps to foster positive consumer perceptions and strengthen Woolworths’ brand loyalty.

Advertising and Communication Objectives

1. Increase reach and awareness:

The objective of the campaign is to raise awareness and promote understanding of the upcoming referendum on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, emphasising its significance and positive impact on Indigenous communities and Australian society

2. Generate support and advocacy

The campaign aims to cultivate support and motivate the target audience to vote in favour of the constitutional alteration, encouraging active engagement, discussions, and sharing of support for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice

3. Shift attitudes and perceptions

The campaign aims to transform the target audience's attitudes and perceptions to be more supportive and open-minded towards the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, fostering unity and shared responsibility in recognising the First Peoples of Australia.

4. Achieve a high voter turnout

The campaign aims to motivate the target audience to actively participate in the referendum by addressing barriers to voting and providing relevant information on the voting process, ensuring a strong turnout.

This campaign will develop and implement a communication strategy that adheres to an appropriate ethical framework. It will avoid a hard sell approach and prioritise cultural sensitivity, ensuring the messages are delivered respectfully and effectively

The following objectives are measured based on the acronym SMART:

Objectives S (Specific) M (Measurable)

A (Actionable) R (Relevant) T (Time bound)

Enhance brand image

Boost brand engagement among the target audience.

A survey will be carried out after four months; media coverage, public discourse, and stakeholder feedback will be taken into account.

Increase reach and awareness

Achieve 60% increase in awareness towards the upcoming referendum among the target audience.

We will analyse the impressions, reach, and frequency of advertising across various media channels, as well as the website traffic and social media engagement metrics.

Shift attitudes and perceptions

Foster a 20% increase in support and positive sentiment.

We will carry out surveys to measure shifts in public perception and attitudes towards the referendum, sentiment analysis of social media conversations, and qualitative feedback on the campaign's impact.

A campaign strategy will be developed through different media platforms, including outdoor advertising, social media and magazine.

By using the combination of media strategies, this campaign will ensure that the target audiences have a positive attitude towards the upcoming referendum.

A fourmonth campaign will be held from June of 2023 to September of 2023.

Achieve a high voter turnout

Motivate a minimum of 80% of the target audience to actively participate in the referendum by casting their vote.

The result of the referendum will be taken into account.